FACT CHECK: Videos of earthquakes reaching magnitude 8.6 in PH are AI-generated

Claim: Several earthquakes, with the strongest reaching magnitude 8.6, were recorded in different cities and provinces across the Philippines in January 2026, as seen in videos circulating online.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: Multiple videos posted by a Facebook page named “Viral Ngayon” show harrowing footage of multiple strong earthquakes allegedly reported in Pasig City, Quezon City, other cities across Metro Manila, and several provinces in the Philippines.

The video of a supposed magnitude 8.4 earthquake in Pasig City, posted on January 26, has garnered over 115,000 views, 1,500 reactions, 100 comments, and 300 shares.

The page also posted videos of an alleged magnitude 8.6 earthquake in Leyte. Uploaded on January 27, it has garnered over 434,000 views, 3,200 reactions, 550 comments, and 1,000 shares as of writing.

Another video of a supposed magnitude 8.6 earthquake in Cubao, Quezon City, which was posted on January 26, received over 229,000 views, 2,100 reactions, 200 comments, and 500 shares.

The same Facebook page has been posting various content featuring calamities such as earthquakes, fires, and tsunamis.

The facts: Contrary to the viral claims, there were no verified reports of earthquakes reaching magnitude 8.4 or magnitude 8.6 in January 2026, according to data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). As of writing, the strongest earthquake by magnitude recorded this month was the magnitude 5.9 quake that hit Sultan Kudarat on January 28.

While Phivolcs has previously modeled a magnitude 8.4 quake scenario triggered by the Manila Trench, no earthquake of that scale has ever been recorded in Philippine history.

Based on official records, the strongest earthquake to hit the country was the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake in Mindanao, which had a magnitude of 8.0. According to an article from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao government, the quake and the resulting tsunami killed approximately 8,000 people, many of whom were never found. At least 10,000 were injured and 90,000 residents were displaced.

Phivolcs has long reminded the public to remain vigilant and avoid being misled by unverified posts warning about alleged strong earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters.

Deepfake: The videos of the alleged earthquakes were generated using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. DeCopy’s AI image analysis, an online software that flags AI-generated content, revealed that screenshots from the viral footage have a 76% probability of being AI-generated.

Rappler has previously debunked similar posts that use AI-generated content to depict natural disasters and spread public panic:

• FACT CHECK: ‘Big One’ earthquake cannot reach magnitude 10
• FACT CHECK: Photos of earthquake aftermath in Cebu, Davao are AI-generated
• FACT CHECK:  No prediction of earthquakes happening ‘in the coming days’
• FACT CHECK: Video of explosive Mayon eruption is AI-generated
• FACT CHECK: Videos of Mayon eruption are AI-generated, volcano at Alert Level 3 as of January 9

– Reinnard Balonzo/Rappler.com 

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