Earthquakes in China

Seismic activity in China is moderate by global standards, with 13 events recorded in the past 30 days, and 52 of the events on record reached magnitude 5 or above — the level at which damage becomes a genuine concern for vulnerable construction. Activity here is almost entirely crustal, which means shaking at the surface is strong relative to the magnitudes involved.

281 earthquakes have been recorded in China in our catalogue, 13 of them in the past 30 days.

The average magnitude is 4.6 and the average focal depth 13 km. 281 events reached magnitude 4 or above and 52 reached magnitude 5 or above.

The strongest earthquake recorded in China in this period was a magnitude 7.0 event near 拉萨, China on 07 January 2025, at a depth of 10 km. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake radiates roughly 476,879 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

Locations recording the most events include 拉萨 (39), Kuqa (28), Dunhuang (20), Oula Xiuma (9), 乌鲁木齐 (8).

99% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 1% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

The deepest event on record here was a magnitude 4.3 earthquake at 144 km beneath Damusi, China on 14 March 2025.

By band, the catalogue holds 229 in the magnitude 4 range, 50 in the magnitude 5 range, 1 in the magnitude 6 range, 1 in the magnitude 7 range.

The busiest single day was 07 January 2025, with 23 recorded events.

No event in this record carries a USGS link to NOAA tsunami information.