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M5.4 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.4 Earthquake near Qaidam, Qinghai (China)

UTC time: 2026-06-16 09:45:27 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On June 16, 2026 at 09:45 UTC, a magnitude M5.4 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 EMSC. China: 2 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.4.

Details

Magnitude
M5.4
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-06-16 09:45:27 UTC
Local time
—
Country
China
State
Qinghai
City
Qaidam
County
Da Qaidam
Source
emsc
Coordinates
37.72000, 95.25000
Temperature
13.9°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 Town148.4 kmS31'941
Dunhuang276.4 kmN186'027
Zhangye473.3 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 hours4
First 24 hours17
First 72 hours22
Strongest subsequent eventM5.3
M5.32026-06-16 09:45:28 UTC13.6 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-16 11:01:02 UTC28.9 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-16 13:27:37 UTC26.8 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-16 13:27:37 UTC21.3 kmQaidam M4.22026-06-16 21:52:45 UTC19.7 kmQaidam M4.92026-06-17 02:06:18 UTC30.3 kmNORTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA M4.92026-06-17 02:06:18 UTC26.4 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:19 UTC38.8 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:20 UTC35.2 kmQaidam M4.72026-06-17 02:06:20 UTC39.0 kmQaidam M4.82026-06-17 06:28:51 UTC33.1 kmQinghai, China M4.82026-06-17 06:28:51 UTC25.0 kmQaidam

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.0 to M5.2.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.210.0 km24.6 km
GFZM5.210.0 km34.0 km
RESIFM5.010.0 km16.1 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#6
Earlier events M≥412
Earlier events M≥59
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 UTC31.2 kmQaidam M6.32026-06-16 09:06:56 UTC33.0 kmQaidam M6.32026-06-16 09:06:55 UTC23.1 kmQaidam M6.22026-06-16 09:06:57 UTC35.1 kmQaidam M5.92026-06-16 09:06:56 UTC29.9 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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