Mindanao experienced a series of significant earthquakes on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Four quakes, all above magnitude 5, were recorded—three in Sultan Kudarat and one in Davao Occidental.
The strongest tremor, a magnitude 5.9 quake, struck the waters off Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat at 12:11 a.m., with a depth of 6 km. It was felt at Intensity V in Kiamba, Sarangani and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, down to Intensity I in Zamboanga City and parts of Davao del Sur.
Less than an hour later, at 12:50 a.m., a magnitude 5.1 quake followed in the same area. A third quake, magnitude 5.4, hit at 1:37 a.m., also near Palimbang. Both were tectonic in origin and shallow in depth, causing noticeable shaking in surrounding towns.
Later in the morning, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded at 7:06 a.m. off the coast of Davao Occidental, near Balut Island. This quake occurred at a depth of 452 km and, due to its depth, caused no damage or aftershocks.
PHIVOLCS warned that some of the quakes could result in structural damage, particularly those in Sultan Kudarat, though most aftershocks are not expected to follow.