Magnitude
M3.3
- Depth
- 10.0 km
- Source
- EMSC
Qinghai · Qaidam
Country overviewChina · Qinghai
M3.3 Earthquake near Qaidam, Qinghai (China)
Map
About this earthquake
On September 5, 2026 at 08:28 UTC, a magnitude M3.3 earthquake occurred near Qaidam, Qinghai (China). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Shaking of this size is frequently noticed but usually harmless.
The event was recorded by EMSC. China: 2 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.5.
Details
Depth profile
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (18.6 km)
Regional average: 18.6 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
Qinghai
Context for this earthquake
21 Sep 2025 – 21 Sep 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 70 Catalogue entries
Of 69 other entries for this area and period, 59 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.
Open seismic profileHistoric earthquake map · China
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Country statistics · China
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Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
634
Country (24h)
China
2