M4.4 Earthquake near Töma Township, China — 17 December 2024
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.4 was recorded near Töma Township, China on , with an epicentre 259 km north-northeast of Nagqu, at a focal depth of 10.0 km. It ranked as the 10th strongest of 15 earthquakes recorded in China in the preceding 30 days.
Time (UTC): 2024-12-17 17:26:50
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.4 (light)
Focal depth: 10.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 33.6926, 92.9426
Location: 259 km NNE of Nagqu, China
Country: China
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 298, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 33.6926, 92.9426 — 259 km north-northeast of Nagqu. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.1 earthquake 103 km north of here on 09 May 2025.
Why the 10 km depth matters
At 10 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.8 event near Nagqu on 02 December 2025. This M4.4 event released about 4.0 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the December 2024 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in China during December 2024. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.1 earthquake near Southern Qinghai, China — (103 km N)
- M4.5 earthquake near Southern Qinghai, China — (119 km N)
- M4.7 earthquake near Nagqu, China — (132 km SSE)
Other recent earthquakes in China
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.6 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M4.2 earthquake near Banda Sea —
- M4.4 earthquake near Ollagüe, Chile —
- M4.4 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.4 earthquake near Volcano Islands, Japan region —
- M4.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.6 earthquake near Daliao, Philippines —
- M4.3 earthquake near Orosi, Costa Rica —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.4 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Töma Township?
At 10 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M4.4 earthquake near Töma Township felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Töma Township?
4 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.8 event near Nagqu on 02 December 2025. This M4.4 event released about 4.0 times less energy than that event.