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M5.2 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.2 Earthquake near Qaidam, Qinghai (China)

UTC time: 2026-06-16 09:42:35 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.2 earthquake was recorded near Qaidam, Qinghai (China) on June 16, 2026 at 09:42 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks. China: 2 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.4.

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-06-16 09:42:35 UTC
Local time
—
Country
China
State
Qinghai
City
Qaidam
County
Da Qaidam
Source
usgs
Coordinates
38.05790, 95.43120
Temperature
-0.4°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (21.2 km)
Regional average: 21.2 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Golmud Town188.9 kmS31'941
Dunhuang243.2 kmN186'027
Zhangye447.6 kmE507'433

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours6
First 24 hours19
First 72 hours24
Strongest subsequent eventM5.4
M5.22026-06-16 09:42:36 UTC18.7 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-16 09:42:36 UTC17.3 kmQaidam M5.42026-06-16 09:45:26 UTC44.3 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-16 11:01:02 UTC16.6 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-16 13:27:37 UTC15.4 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-16 13:27:37 UTC20.7 kmQaidam M4.22026-06-16 21:52:45 UTC21.1 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-17 02:06:18 UTC14.6 kmNORTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA M4.92026-06-17 02:06:18 UTC24.9 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:19 UTC11.5 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:20 UTC5.6 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:20 UTC6.2 kmQaidam

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#6
Earlier events M≥410
Earlier events M≥57
Compared since2025-11-28

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.42026-06-16 09:06:55 UTC23.3 kmQaidam M6.32026-06-16 09:06:56 UTC20.1 kmQaidam M6.32026-06-16 09:06:55 UTC19.0 kmQaidam M6.22026-06-16 09:06:57 UTC31.5 kmQaidam M5.92026-06-16 09:06:56 UTC18.8 kmQaidam

Historic earthquake map · China

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · China

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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