Date
Article
Coord
Location
Mag
Deaths
Description
c. 1920 BC
Jishi Gorge outburst flood
35°N 102°E / 35°N 102°E / 35; 102
Qinghai / Gansu
512-05-21
512 Shaanxi earthquake
38°54′N 112°48′E / 38.9°N 112.8°E / 38.9; 112.8
Dai County , Shaanxi
7.5 Ms
5,310 (estimate)
1038-01-09
1038 Dingxiang earthquake
38°24′N 112°55′E / 38.40°N 112.92°E / 38.40; 112.92
Dingxiang County , Shaanxi
7.25 Ms
32,300
1290-09-27
1290 Zhili earthquake [ 1]
41°30′N 119°18′E / 41.5°N 119.3°E / 41.5; 119.3
Ningcheng County , Inner Mongolia
6.8 Ms
100,000
1303-09-25
1303 Hongdong earthquake [ 2]
36°18′N 111°42′E / 36.3°N 111.7°E / 36.3; 111.7
Shaanxi
8.0 ML
270,000 [ 3]
Taiyuan and Pingyang were leveled.
1337-09-08
1337 Huailai earthquake[ 4]
40°24′N 115°42′E / 40.4°N 115.7°E / 40.4; 115.7
Hebei , Beijing
6.5 Ms
.
1536-03-20
1536 Xichang earthquake
28°06′N 102°06′E / 28.1°N 102.1°E / 28.1; 102.1
Sichuan
7.5
thousands
1556-01-23
1556 Shaanxi earthquake
34°30′N 109°18′E / 34.50°N 109.30°E / 34.50; 109.30
Shaanxi
8.0 Mw
100,000+[ 5]
Population decreased by additional 730,000 due to emigration, plagues, and famine.[ 5]
1604-12-29
1604 Quanzhou earthquake
23°32′N 117°14′E / 23.54°N 117.24°E / 23.54; 117.24
Fujian
8.1 Mw
Unknown
Largest earthquake in southern China
1605-07-13
1605 Guangdong earthquake
19°54′N 110°30′E / 19.9°N 110.5°E / 19.9; 110.5
Guangdong
7.5 Ms
several thousand
1622-10-25
1622 North Guyuan earthquake
36°30′N 106°18′E / 36.5°N 106.3°E / 36.5; 106.3
Ningxia
7.2 Mw
12,000
1626-06-28
1626 Lingqiu earthquake
39°24′N 114°12′E / 39.4°N 114.2°E / 39.4; 114.2
Shaanxi
7.0 Ms
>5,200
1668-07-25
1668 Tancheng earthquake
34°18′N 118°36′E / 34.30°N 118.60°E / 34.30; 118.60
Tancheng County , Shandong
8.5 Mw
50,000
Largest seismic event ever recorded in history in eastern China.[ 6]
1679-09-02
1679 Sanhe-Pinggu earthquake
40°00′N 116°59′E / 40.000°N 116.983°E / 40.000; 116.983
Hebei , Beijing
8.0 Mw
45,500
1695-05-18
1695 Linfen earthquake
36°00′N 111°30′E / 36.0°N 111.5°E / 36.0; 111.5
Linfen
7.8 Ms
52,600
1709-10-14
1709 Zhongwei earthquake
37°24′N 105°18′E / 37.4°N 105.3°E / 37.4; 105.3
Ningxia
7.5 Ms
2,032
1718-06-19
1718 Tongwei–Gansu earthquake
35°00′N 105°12′E / 35.0°N 105.2°E / 35.0; 105.2
Gansu
7.5 Ms
75,000
1733-08-02
1733 Dongchuan earthquake
26°12′N 103°06′E / 26.2°N 103.1°E / 26.2; 103.1
Yunnan
7.75 Ms
thousands
1738-12-23
1738 Dangjiang earthquake
33°18′N 96°36′E / 33.3°N 96.6°E / 33.3; 96.6
Qinghai
6.5 Ms
336
1739-01-04
1739 Yinchuan–Pingluo earthquake
38°54′N 106°30′E / 38.9°N 106.5°E / 38.9; 106.5
Ningxia
8.0 Ms
50,000
1786-06-01
1786 Kangding-Luding earthquake [ 7] [ 8]
29°54′N 102°00′E / 29.9°N 102.0°E / 29.9; 102.0
Sichuan
7.75 ML
100,000+
The earthquake triggered a landslide that formed an artificial mud dam which blocked the Dadu River . Ten days later, this dam was breached resulting in a catastrophic mudslide flooding event.
1815-10-23
1815 Pinglu earthquake
34°48′N 111°12′E / 34.8°N 111.2°E / 34.8; 111.2
Shanxi
6.8 Ms
13,000
1830-11-10
1830 Cixian earthquake
36°24′N 114°12′E / 36.4°N 114.2°E / 36.4; 114.2
Hebei
7.4 Mw
7,477
1833-09-06
1833 Kunming earthquake
25°24′N 103°00′E / 25.400°N 103.000°E / 25.400; 103.000
Yunnan
8.0 Mw
6,000
1850-09-12
1850 Xichang earthquake
27°48′N 102°18′E / 27.8°N 102.3°E / 27.8; 102.3
Sichuan
7.6–7.9 Mw
20,650
1870-04-11
1870 Batang earthquake
30°00′N 99°06′E / 30.0°N 99.1°E / 30.0; 99.1
Sichuan
7.3 Mw
5,000
1879-07-01
1879 Gansu earthquake
33°12′N 104°42′E / 33.2°N 104.7°E / 33.2; 104.7
Gansu
8.0 Ms
22,000
1902-08-22
1902 Turkestan earthquake
40°00′N 77°00′E / 40.0°N 77.0°E / 40.0; 77.0
Xinjiang
7.7 Mw
2,500-20,000
1906-12-22
1906 Manasi earthquake
44°18′N 85°36′E / 44.3°N 85.6°E / 44.3; 85.6
Xinjiang
8.0 Mw
280
1912-12-21
1913 Eshan earthquake
24°16′N 102°50′E / 24.26°N 102.83°E / 24.26; 102.83
Eshan , Yunnan
6.8 Mw
942+
1918-02-13
1918 Shantou earthquake
23°32′N 117°14′E / 23.54°N 117.24°E / 23.54; 117.24
Shantou , Guangdong
7.2 Mw
1,000+
1920-12-16
1920 Haiyuan earthquake
36°30′N 105°42′E / 36.50°N 105.70°E / 36.50; 105.70
Haiyuan County , Ningxia
7.8 ML
265,000 [ 9]
1923-03-24
1923 Renda earthquake
31°17′42″N 100°45′00″E / 31.295°N 100.750°E / 31.295; 100.750
Luhuo County , Sichuan
7.0 Ms
4,800
1925-03-16
1925 Dali earthquake
25°42′N 100°24′E / 25.7°N 100.4°E / 25.7; 100.4
Dali , Yunnan
7.0 Ms
5,000
1927-05-23
1927 Gulang earthquake
37°23′N 102°19′E / 37.39°N 102.31°E / 37.39; 102.31
Gulang County , Gansu
7.6 Mw
40,900
1931-08-10
1931 Fuyun earthquake [ 10]
47°06′N 89°48′E / 47.1°N 89.8°E / 47.1; 89.8
Fuyun County , Xinjiang
8.0 Mw
10,000[ 11]
1932-12-25
1932 Changma earthquake
39°42′N 96°42′E / 39.7°N 96.7°E / 39.7; 96.7
Gansu
7.6 Ms
275
1933-08-25
1933 Diexi earthquake
32°00′N 103°42′E / 32.0°N 103.7°E / 32.0; 103.7
Mao County , Sichuan
7.5 MS
9,000
1937-07-31
1937 Heze earthquakes
35°16′08″N 115°11′24″E / 35.269°N 115.190°E / 35.269; 115.190
Mudan District , Shandong
6.9 MS
3,252+
1950-08-15
1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake [ 12]
28°22′N 96°27′E / 28.36°N 96.45°E / 28.36; 96.45
Zayü County , Tibet
8.6 Mw
4,000
Largest seismic event ever recorded in China and largest known seismic event on land . 3,300 deaths in Chinese-claimed territories
1952-08-18
1952 Damxung earthquake
30°38′53″N 91°36′4″E / 30.64806°N 91.60111°E / 30.64806; 91.60111
Damxung , Tibet
7.5 Mw
54
1955-04-14
1955 Kangding earthquake [ 13]
31°17′42″N 100°45′00″E / 31.295°N 100.750°E / 31.295; 100.750
Sichuan
7.1 Mw
1955-09-23
1955 Yuzha earthquake
26°36′N 101°48′E / 26.60°N 101.80°E / 26.60; 101.80
Yunnan
6.8 MS
728
1966-03-08
1966 Xingtai earthquake [ 14]
37°04′N 114°29′E / 37.067°N 114.483°E / 37.067; 114.483
Hebei
6.8 Mw
8,064
1969-07-26
1969 Yangjiang earthquake
21°37′N 111°50′E / 21.61°N 111.83°E / 21.61; 111.83
Yangjiang , Guangdong
6.4 Mw
3,000
1970-01-04
1970 Tonghai earthquake
24°11′N 102°32′E / 24.19°N 102.54°E / 24.19; 102.54
Tonghai County , Yunnan
7.1 Mw
15,621
1973-02-06
1973 Luhuo earthquake
31°23′53″N 100°34′52″E / 31.398°N 100.581°E / 31.398; 100.581
Luhuo County , Sichuan
7.5 MS [ 15]
2,175
1974-05-10
1974 Zhaotong earthquake
28°12′N 104°00′E / 28.2°N 104.0°E / 28.2; 104.0
Zhaotong , Yunnan
6.8
20,000[ 16]
1975-02-04
1975 Haicheng earthquake
40°40′N 122°41′E / 40.66°N 122.68°E / 40.66; 122.68
Haicheng , Liaoning
7.4 Mw
2,041
one of the few earthquakes to be successfully predicted throughout history[ 17]
1976-05-29
1976 Longling earthquake
24°29′N 98°58′E / 24.49°N 98.96°E / 24.49; 98.96
Yunnan
6.9 MS 7.0 MS
98
Doublet earthquake
1976-07-27
1976 Tangshan earthquake
39°38′N 118°06′E / 39.63°N 118.10°E / 39.63; 118.10
Tangshan , Hebei
7.5 Mw
300,000+[ 18]
Deadliest earthquake in Chinese history. Among the top disasters in China by death toll .
1976-08-16
1976 Songpan-Pingwu earthquake
32°41′N 104°12′E / 32.69°N 104.2°E / 32.69; 104.2
Sichuan
7.2 MS
41
Earthquake swarm
1981-01-23
1981 Dawu earthquake
30°56′N 101°06′E / 30.93°N 101.10°E / 30.93; 101.10
Sichuan
6.8 ML
150
1988-11-06
1988 Lancang–Gengma earthquakes
22°47′20″N 99°36′40″E / 22.789°N 99.611°E / 22.789; 99.611
Yunnan
7.6 Ms 7.2 Ms
939
Occurred near the border with Shan State , Myanmar . Doublet earthquake
1990-04-26
1990 Gonghe earthquake
35°59′10″N 100°14′42″E / 35.986°N 100.245°E / 35.986; 100.245
Qinghai
7.0 MS
126
1996-02-03
1996 Lijiang earthquake
27°18′N 100°17′E / 27.30°N 100.29°E / 27.30; 100.29
Yunnan
7.0 MS
309
2000-01-14
2000 Yunnan earthquake
25°37′N 101°04′E / 25.61°N 101.06°E / 25.61; 101.06
Yunnan
5.9 Mw
7
2001-02-23
2001 Sichuan earthquake[ 19]
29°30′47″N 101°07′44″E / 29.513°N 101.129°E / 29.513; 101.129
Sichuan
5.6 Mw
3
2001-11-14
2001 Kunlun earthquake
36°07′N 90°32′E / 36.12°N 90.54°E / 36.12; 90.54
Qinghai
7.8 Mw
0
2003-02-24
2003 Bachu earthquake
39°37′N 77°14′E / 39.61°N 77.24°E / 39.61; 77.24
Maralbexi (Bachu) County , Xinjiang
6.3 Mw
261
2003-12-01
2003 Zhaosu earthquake
42°54′18″N 80°30′54″E / 42.905°N 80.515°E / 42.905; 80.515
Zhaosu County , Xinjiang
6.0 Mw
10
2005-11-26
2005 Ruichang earthquake
29°39′25″N 115°43′01″E / 29.657°N 115.717°E / 29.657; 115.717
Ruichang , Jiangxi
5.2 Mw
14
2006-07-22
2006 Yanjin earthquake
27°59′31″N 104°12′54″E / 27.992°N 104.215°E / 27.992; 104.215
Yunnan
5.2 Mw
22
Moderate damage
2008-05-12
2008 Sichuan earthquake
31°01′16″N 103°22′01″E / 31.021°N 103.367°E / 31.021; 103.367
Wenchuan County , Sichuan
7.9 Mw
87,587
18th deadliest earthquake of all time
2008-08-21
2008 Yingjiang earthquakes
24°54′N 97°48′E / 24.9°N 97.8°E / 24.9; 97.8
Yunnan
6.0Mw
5
2008-08-30
2008 Panzhihua earthquake
26°12′N 101°54′E / 26.2°N 101.9°E / 26.2; 101.9
Sichuan
5.7 Mw
41
2008-10-06
2008 Damxung earthquake
29°27′00″N 90°11′13″E / 29.45°N 90.187°E / 29.45; 90.187
Damxung County , Tibet
6.4 Mw
10
2010-04-14
2010 Yushu earthquake
33°18′N 96°42′E / 33.3°N 96.7°E / 33.3; 96.7
Yushu , Qinghai
6.9 Mw
2,698
270 missing
2011-03-10
2011 Yunnan earthquake
24°42′36″N 97°59′38″E / 24.710°N 97.994°E / 24.710; 97.994
Yunnan
5.4 Mw
26
2012-09-07
2012 Yunnan earthquakes
27°34′55″N 103°59′24″E / 27.582°N 103.990°E / 27.582; 103.990
Yiliang County , Yunnan
5.6 Mw
81
2013-03-03
2013 Yunnan earthquakes
25°55′08″N 99°43′30″E / 25.919°N 99.725°E / 25.919; 99.725
Dali , Yunnan
5.5 Mw
0
2,500 houses were damaged
2013-04-20
2013 Ya'an earthquake
30°17′02″N 102°57′22″E / 30.284°N 102.956°E / 30.284; 102.956
Lushan County , Sichuan
6.9 Mw
193
24 missing[ 20]
2013-07-22
2013 Dingxi earthquake
34°30′N 104°12′E / 34.5°N 104.2°E / 34.5; 104.2
Min County , Gansu
5.9 Mw
95
Magnitude M(s)6.6 according to CENC .
2013-08-31
2013 Yunnan earthquake
28°13′12″N 99°20′35″E / 28.220°N 99.343°E / 28.220; 99.343
Deqen , Yunnan
5.8 Mw
5
2014-05-24
2014 Yingjiang earthquake
25°00′N 97°48′E / 25.0°N 97.8°E / 25.0; 97.8
Yingjiang County , Yunnan
5.6 Mw
0
9,412 homes were destroyed.[ 21]
2014-08-03
2014 Ludian earthquake
27°14′42″N 103°25′37″E / 27.245°N 103.427°E / 27.245; 103.427
Ludian County , Yunnan
6.1 Mw
617
112 missing[ 22]
2017-08-08
2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake
33°12′N 103°49′E / 33.20°N 103.82°E / 33.20; 103.82
Jiuzhaigou County , Sichuan
6.5 Mw
25
Landslides
2019-06-17
2019 Sichuan earthquake
28°24′18″N 104°57′25″E / 28.405°N 104.957°E / 28.405; 104.957
Changning County , Sichuan
5.8 Mw
13
20,000 houses were damaged
2020-01-19
2020 Kashgar earthquake
39°50′06″N 77°06′29″E / 39.835°N 77.108°E / 39.835; 77.108
Jiashi County , Xinjiang
6.0 Mw
1
2 injured, 1,000 houses damaged
2020-05-18
2020 Qiaojia earthquake
27°15′58″N 103°17′17″E / 27.266°N 103.288°E / 27.266; 103.288
Qiaojia County , Yunnan
5.1 Mw
4
24 injured, extensive damage
2021-05-21
2021 Dali earthquake
25°45′40″N 100°00′29″E / 25.761°N 100.008°E / 25.761; 100.008
Dali , Yunnan
6.1 Mw
3
32 injured, 12,882 houses damaged
2021-05-22
2021 Maduo earthquake
34°35′10″N 98°15′18″E / 34.586°N 98.255°E / 34.586; 98.255
Madoi , Qinghai
7.3 Mw
20
19 people injured (official), 20 dead 300 injured (unofficial)
2021-08-16
2021 Luxian earthquake
29°11′38″N 105°22′26″E / 29.194°N 105.374°E / 29.194; 105.374
Lu , Sichuan
5.4 Mw
3
146 injured, 60k evacuated
2022-01-07
2022 Menyuan earthquake
37°48′40″N 101°16′30″E / 37.811°N 101.275°E / 37.811; 101.275
Menyuan , Qinghai
6.6 Mw
0
Limited damage, 9 injured
2022-06-01
2022 Ya'an earthquake
30°24′58″N 102°59′20″E / 30.416°N 102.989°E / 30.416; 102.989
Lushan County , Sichuan
5.9 Mw
4
2022-09-05
2022 Luding earthquake
29°43′34″N 102°16′44″E / 29.726°N 102.279°E / 29.726; 102.279
Kangding , Sichuan
6.6 Mw
93
30 missing, 423 injured
2023-12-18
2023 Jishishan earthquake
35°44′35″N 102°49′37″E / 35.743°N 102.827°E / 35.743; 102.827
Jishishan , Gansu
5.9 Mw
137[ 23]
12 missing, 982 injured, 734 Injured, many homes destroyed
2024-01-22
2024 Uqturpan earthquake
41°16′08″N 78°38′56″E / 41.269°N 78.649°E / 41.269; 78.649
Uqturpan County , Xinjiang
7.0 Mw
3
74 injuries
Note: The inclusion criteria for adding events are based on WikiProject Earthquakes ' notability guideline that was developed for stand alone articles. The principles described also apply to lists. In summary, only damaging, injurious, or deadly events should be recorded.