29/07/2026
The 50th anniversary of the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami, often remembered as the "Midnight Killer," falls on August 17, 2026.
At 12:11 a.m. on August 17, 1976, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao along the Cotabato Trench. Within minutes, a devastating tsunami—reaching heights of up to 9 meters (30 feet) in some areas—swept across more than 700 kilometers of coastline bordering the Moro Gulf.
The 50th anniversary serves as both a remembrance of those who lost their lives and a reminder of the importance of earthquake and tsunami preparedness in Mindanao and other coastal regions of the Philippines. PHIVOLCS continues to use the event as a key example in public education about tsunami hazards and evacuation planning.