M5.9
Depth:
10.0 km
M5.9 Earthquake near Qaidam, Qinghai (China)
About this earthquake
On August 18, 2026 at 21:36 UTC, a magnitude M5.9 earthquake occurred near Qaidam, Qinghai (China). 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 event was recorded by USGS. China: 3 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.2.
Map
Depth profile
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (18.8 km)
Regional average: 18.8 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
Estimated impact
Yellow
Local impact possible.
Estimated population exposed
≈ 7'905 people experienced strong to very strong shaking.
Ground shaking
VII
Very strong · Intensity (MMI) VII
Moderate damage possible.
Tectonic context
Located on the Eurasia Plate.
Near the boundary Eurasia ↔ India · about 1073 km away
Nearby population centers
Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.
PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Golmud Town171.8 kmS31'941
Dunhuang261.3 kmN186'027
Zhangye451.1 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 hours1
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours4
Strongest subsequent eventM4.9
Comparison of seismic sources
6 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.1 to M5.9.
Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.
SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
GFZM5.610.0 km9.8 km
SERBIA_RSZM5.610.0 km2.9 km
USGSM5.910.0 km0.0 km
INGVM5.611.7 km14.1 km
RESIFM5.110.0 km18.9 km
EMSCM5.735.0 km10.2 km
Historical context nearby
Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.
Magnitude rank#8
Earlier events M≥450
Earlier events M≥524
Compared since2025-11-28
The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.
Strongest earlier events
Historic earthquake map · China
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.
Country statistics · China
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.
Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
968
Country (24h)
China
3