Shallow M5.5 earthquake hits offshore Basco, Philippines
A shallow M5.5 earthquake was registered at 07:27 UTC on December 18, 2025, around 96 km (60 miles) southwest of Basco, Philippines. The quake occurred at a depth of 40.1 km (24.9 miles), as reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The coordinates of the event, 121.2°E and 19.9°N, indicate the earthquake struck offshore southwest of Batanes Province, in the Luzon Strait just beyond the northernmost tip of the Philippines. Basco, the provincial capital of Batanes, is the nearest significant population center to the epicenter.
Given its offshore setting in the Luzon Strait, the vicinity contains important maritime routes and may include regional ports and shipping lanes. Key infrastructure on Batanes islands could include airstrips, basic highways, and local energy networks supporting the dispersed island population.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index is 465 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.
The Philippines sits within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates interact, frequently generating earthquakes of varying magnitudes throughout the region.
This information was last updated at 07:37 UTC on December 18, 2025.