[2] It occurred in a zone of geologic deformation along the Sunda and Philippine Sea plates, which converge at a rate of 6 centimeters (2 in) each year.

[4] Seismicity as well has been powerful: in the last 50 years, more than half of the country's major earthquakes have reached magnitude 7.0 or greater.

It spawned landslides in South Cotabato which flowed through the crater lake on Mount Parker, creating a widespread flood which swept homes and affected at least nine districts of the province and killed three people.

[6] The landslide and subsequent flooding also created local tsunamis reaching a maximum height of 3 meters (10 ft) at Kiamba, Maitum and Palimbang.

At least 100 workers in a tuna cannery in General Santos were injured due to a stampede triggered by the quake.