Major Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake - Qinghai, China, on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at 02:04 am (Shanghai Time) -

Q: How frequent are earthquakes in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi)?

The area where this quake occurred has a high level of seismic activity. Based on data from the past 14 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 15.4 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi). It has had at least 2 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 60 to 65 years.

Q: How severe was the 2021 in China earthquake?

This was the 5th most fatal quake in 2021 and the 19th most deadly quake since 2020.

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Major magnitude 7.4 earthquake - Qinghai, China, on Friday, 21 May 2021 at 18:04 (GMT) - information

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit 388 km (241 mi) away from Xining, Qinghai, China, in the early morning of Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 2.04 am local time (Asia/Shanghai GMT +8). The quake had a very shallow depth of 10 km (6 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would.

Fatalities and economic damage

The earthquake caused many fatalities (20 in total) and injuries, while damage to buildings and infrastructure was limited in the areas near the epicenter.

This was the 5th most fatal quake in 2021 and the 19th most deadly quake since 2020.

Damage category	Number / Order of magnitude
People killed	20
People injured	300
Economic losses	Limited (less than $1 million USD)

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

Major mag. 7.4 Earthquake - Qinghai, China, on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at 02:04 am (Shanghai time)

Major magnitude 7.4 earthquake at 10 km depth

21 May 18:11 UTC: First to report: GFZ after 7 minutes.
21 May 18:13: Epicenter location corrected by 2.4 km (1.5 mi) towards SSE.
... [show all] ...
21 May 18:29: Magnitude recalculated from 7.0 to 7.4.

Update Fri, 21 May 2021, 19:35

Massive magnitude 7.3 hits southern Qinghai, China

This evening's magnitude 7 quake in China's southern Quinghai Province

Following the deadly magnitude 6.0 quake earlier today in the southwestern province of Yunnan, China had another large - actually much larger - earthquake less than 5 hours later:
This time, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit in the southern Quinghai province at 2.04 am local time. The epicenter is in a remote, mountainous area and far from larger towns or cities, and hopefully did not cause much damage for this reason.
However, it was felt in over 1000 km distance as user reports arrived through our reporting channel.

China's two large quakes today are not likely directly connected - their epicenters are approx. 500 miles apart, but both are ultimately caused by the enormous tectonic forces at play in the ongoing continental collision between the Indian subcontinent against and underneath Eurasia, creating the Himalayan mountain belts and raising the Tibet plateau.

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Earthquake details

Date & time	May 21, 2021 18:04:15 UTC
Local time at epicenter	Saturday, May 22, 2021, at 02:04 am (Asia/Shanghai GMT +8)
Status	Confirmed
Magnitude	7.4
Depth	10 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude	34.58°N / 98.28°E Golog Tibetan Autonomous, Qinghai, China
Seismic antipode	34.58°S / 81.72°W Chile
Shaking intensity	VIII Severe shaking near epicenter
Felt	10 reports
Primary data source	GFZ (German Research Centre for Geosciences)
Nearest volcano	###NEARESTVOLCANO2###
Weather at epicenter at time of quake	Overcast Clouds 3.4°C (38 F), humidity: 91%, wind: 2 m/s (4 kts) from NNE
Estimated seismic energy released	7.9 x 10¹⁵ joules (2206 gigawatt hours, equivalent to 1.9 x 10⁶ tons of TNT or 118.7 atomic bombs!) \| about seismic energy

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Additional info

Reference #1053:
Tectonic Summary
The May 21, 2021 M7.3 earthquake in central China occurred as the result of strike-slip faulting with a component of normal faulting. The earthquake occurred on either an east-west left-lateral fault, or on a north-south striking right-lateral fault. The regional geologic context is consistent with left -lateral strike slip motion. The extension component of the earthquake is oriented northwest-southeast. This M7.3 earthquake was preceded ~4.5 hours by an M6.1 earthquake also on May 21, 2021. However, the earlier M6.1 occurred ~1000 km southeast of the M7.3 event, so the two earthquakes are too distant to be considered a foreshock-mainshock pair. The distance between these two events indicates that the two earthquakes are likely not directly related.
The earthquake occurred in the eastern portion of the Tibetan Plateau where the Tibetan Plateau extends eastward. The Tibetan Plateau forms as a result of the northward collision of the India plate with the Eurasia plate and rests north of the Himalaya mountain range. The Tibetan Plateau is the largest and highest plateau in the world, and as a result, it currently extends to the east and west as a response to gravitational forces. This extension is accommodated by a complex combination of fault motions that include left-lateral strike-slip motion along the Kunlun fault (located north of the M7.3 earthquake), normal faulting within the Tibetan Plateau, and reverse faulting as the Tibetan Plateau impinges onto more stable continental crust in central China. In the past century, two earthquakes larger than M7 have occurred within 250 km of the M7.3 earthquake, including an M7.8 earthquake ~100 km northwest of the May 21 earthquake that occurred on or near the Kunlun fault in January 1937. The May 2021 earthquake additionally occurred 223 km northeast of the April 14, 2010 M6.9 Yushu, China earthquake that caused >2000 fatalities.

Reference #13101:
An earthquake in a Tibetan-populated county of northwest China’s Qinghai province has killed at least 20 people and injured more than 300, although authorities have yet to confirm any deaths and are blocking information flows from the region, Tibetan sources say. The 7.3 magnitude quake struck Qinghai’s Matoe (in Chinese, Maduo) county on May 22, the China Earthquake Networks Center said, with official sources reporting livestock deaths and minor property damage, but saying only that 19 people had been injured in the jolt. “At least 20 persons were killed, and more than 300 others were injured, though, with 13 reported missing,” a source in the region told RFA’s Tibetan Service this week.

Cited references

#1053 National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) (1971 to 2013):
Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (PDE), a weekly and monthly publication, National Earthquake Information Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Golden, Colorado, 1971 to 2013.
#13101 Radio Free Asia (2021):
At Least 20 Dead, More Than 300 Injured in Qinghai Quake as China Imposes Information Lockdown. Published 01 June 2021. Link

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K

Most recent quakes Top 20 past 24 hrs Quakes in China

Nearby places

The closest larger town where the quake might have been felt is Hong Ya, a town with 256 inhabitants in China, in 381 km (237 mi) distance northeast of the epicenter. People likely experienced moderate shaking there.
The following table shows some of the places that might have been affected (or not) by the shaking.

Distance	Place	Max. shaking intensity(*)	Region	Country
381 km (237 mi) NE of epicenter	Hong Ya (pop: 256)	V: Moderate	Qinghai	China
388 km (241 mi) NE of epicenter	Xining (pop: 767,500)	V: Moderate	Qinghai	China
397 km (247 mi) S of epicenter	Chamdo (pop: 86,300)	V: Moderate	Tibet	China
539 km (335 mi) NE of epicenter	Wuwei (pop: 493,100)	IV: Light	Gansu	China

Notes:
(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models.

User-reports for this quake (13)

We received 13 reports for this quake.

User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.

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sleep in bed / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Lamps swing. Windows and furnitures noise. | 27 users found this interesting.

chengdu / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short : a small swinging of curtains | 10 users found this interesting.

Kolkata / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : I knew that it's an earthquake but didn't know it's epicenter. But it's strange that I & some people here(approx 1500Km away) felt it. | 4 users found this interesting.

Kigali/gisozi / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Shanghai / not felt

Kolkata / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

Hanoi, Vietnam / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

Xining / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging

Xining / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s

Melbourne Florida / not felt

Mandalay / not felt

Xining / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s

Xining / Light shaking (MMI IV)

What is Intensity and the Mercalli Intensity Scale?

The amount of shaking that occurs on the surface due to an earthquake is called the intensity. It is commonly measured on the so-called Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) ranging from 1 (not felt) to 10 (extreme shaking), and given in Roman numerals as I,II,...IX, X, and often displayed with color codes ranging from light blue to dark red.
Earthquake intensity depends mainly on the magnitude and depth of the quake as well as the distance from the epicenter: The further away, the less shaking intensity occurs.
Read more about the MMI scale!

Compare Quake Data

Data for the same earthquake as reported by different agencies

The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.

Mag	Depth	Time GMT 2021-05-21	Epicenter	Agency
7.4	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:15	Qinghai, China	GFZ (German Research Centre for Geosciences)
7.4	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:14	SOUTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA 7.3 km (4.6 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)
6.7	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:16	China: Near Chengdu 14 km (8.5 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	RENASS (Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS))
7.4	17 km 10.6 mi	18:04:11	China: 青海果洛州玛多县 5.6 km (3.5 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	CEIC (China Earthquake Networks Center)
6.2	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:15	Qinghai, China 10.1 km (6.3 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	BMKG (Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia)
7.0	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:14	Qinghai, China 22 km (13 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	NCS (National Center for Seismology)
7.3	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:14	Southern Qinghai, China 3.3 km (2.1 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	USGS (United States Geological Survey)
7.0	0.8 km 0.5 mi	18:04:15	Qinghai, China [Land: China] 15 km (9.4 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia)
7.4	10 km 6.2 mi (*)	18:04:13	Qinghai, China 5.3 km (3.3 mi) epicenter difference with GFZ	GeoAu (Geoscience Australia )

Notes:
(*) A depth given as 10 km often means that the the depth of the quake could not determined with sufficient accuracy.

Seismograms

Seismic station: Tibet, China (LSA/IC network) | Distance from quake: 864 km / 537 mi | Show on map | Station Info

Seismic station Tibet, China: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-5.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Show less

Seismic station Tibet, China: horizontal (E-W) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismic station Tibet, China: horizontal (N-S) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismograms around time of quake, showing horizontal E-W and N-S ground movements. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (ULN/IU network) | Distance from quake: 1647 km / 1023 mi | Show on map | Station Info

Seismic station Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-2.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: horizontal (E-W) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismic station Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: horizontal (N-S) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismograms around time of quake.
Top: vertical movement, bottom: horizontal (E-W and N-S) movements. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station: Ala Archa, Kyrgyzstan (AAK/II network) | Distance from quake: 2243 km / 1394 mi | Show on map | Station Info

Seismic station Ala Archa, Kyrgyzstan: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-2.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station Ala Archa, Kyrgyzstan: horizontal (E-W) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismic station Ala Archa, Kyrgyzstan: horizontal (N-S) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismograms around time of quake.
Top: vertical movement, bottom: horizontal (E-W and N-S) movements. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station: Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, China (MDJ/IC network) | Distance from quake: 2883 km / 1792 mi | Show on map | Station Info

Seismic station Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, China: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-2.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, China: horizontal (E-W) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismic station Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province, China: horizontal (N-S) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismograms around time of quake.
Top: vertical movement, bottom: horizontal (E-W and N-S) movements. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station: Pallekele, Sri Lanka (PALK/II network) | Distance from quake: 3530 km / 2193 mi | Show on map | Station Info

Seismic station Pallekele, Sri Lanka: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-2.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

Seismic station Pallekele, Sri Lanka: horizontal (E-W) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismic station Pallekele, Sri Lanka: horizontal (N-S) movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)

Seismograms around time of quake.
Top: vertical movement, bottom: horizontal (E-W and N-S) movements. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool

80 aftershocks for this quake

For this strong earthquake, 80 aftershocks have been detected so far. The strongest was a magnitude 5.5 quake that hit 9 minutes after the mainshock in 74 km (46 mi) distance, in Southern Qinghai, China, on Saturday, May 22, 2021 on 02:13 am (Shanghai local time GMT +8).
The most recent aftershock occurred 3 years ago China: 723km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India, and had a magnitude of 4.6.

What are aftershocks?

Larger earthquakes (above magnitude 5 or so) such as this one are usually followed by smaller ones known as aftershocks that occur in the same area during the days, weeks, months or even years after the main shock.

[More info]

What about this quake?

Based on its magnitude, the fault that was active during the quake likely ruptured beneath a surface of approx. 2,512 km² (=970 sqare miles) as a first-order estimate. The length of the rupture zone thus was probably around 87 km (54 mi).

[More info]

Recorded aftershocks, latest first (80 quakes)

Date and Time GMT	Mag Depth	Distance	Region	Details
Feb 22, 2022 06:46 am (Shanghai) 2 years ago 39 weeks after main shock	4.6 10 km	60 km (37 mi) E of main shock	China: 723km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
Dec 14, 2021 03:01 pm (Shanghai) 2 years ago 30 weeks after main shock	4.9 283 km	59 km (37 mi) S of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Dec 12, 2021 06:30 pm (Shanghai) 2 years ago 29 weeks after main shock	2.2 9 km	9.6 km (6 mi) N of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县(有感)	More
Nov 29, 2021 05:52 am (Shanghai) 2 years ago 27 weeks after main shock	4.1 10 km	69 km (43 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
Oct 9, 2021 01:46 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 20 weeks after main shock	4.0 30 km	52 km (33 mi) NW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Aug 13, 2021 12:21 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 12 weeks after main shock	5.5 10 km	76 km (47 mi) W of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Aug 11, 2021 06:35 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 12 weeks after main shock	4.7 10 km	19 km (12 mi) N of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Jul 8, 2021 09:23 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 7 weeks after main shock	5.0 10 km	26 km (16 mi) NW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Jul 7, 2021 06:01 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 7 weeks after main shock	4.5 10 km	70 km (44 mi) E of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Jul 7, 2021 03:27 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 7 weeks after main shock	4.5 22 km	17 km (10.5 mi) NE of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
Jul 6, 2021 09:50 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 6 weeks after main shock	4.5 12 km	9 km (5.6 mi) N of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
Jun 15, 2021 12:00 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 weeks after main shock	4.0 15 km	85 km (53 mi) W of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
Jun 3, 2021 01:55 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 12 days after main shock	5.0 10 km	44 km (27 mi) W of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 31, 2021 08:12 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 days after main shock	4.3 10 km	40 km (25 mi) E of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 30, 2021 12:50 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 8 days after main shock	4.7 10 km	20 km (12 mi) W of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 27, 2021 09:06 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 6 days after main shock	4.8 10 km	77 km (48 mi) E of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 26, 2021 01:54 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 4 days after main shock	3.4 10 km	23 km (14 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 25, 2021 05:30 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 4 days after main shock	3.0 10 km	86 km (53 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 25, 2021 02:46 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 4 days after main shock	3.0 10 km	92 km (57 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 25, 2021 07:00 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	4.5 10 km	54 km (34 mi) NW of main shock	China	More
May 25, 2021 02:15 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	3.5 10 km	58 km (36 mi) W of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 24, 2021 11:35 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	3.2 10 km	31 km (19 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 24, 2021 10:15 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	4.4 10 km	69 km (43 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 24, 2021 04:31 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago - felt 3 days after main shock	5.1 10 km	92 km (57 mi) W of main shock	China: 742km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 24, 2021 04:31 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	4.1 9 km	70 km (43 mi) W of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 24, 2021 03:06 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 days after main shock	4.2 10 km	12 km (7.7 mi) S of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 24, 2021 07:23 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 days after main shock	3.7 11 km	14 km (8.5 mi) N of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 23, 2021 04:35 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 15 hours after main shock	3.5 11 km	33 km (21 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 23, 2021 03:24 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 13 hours after main shock	5.1 10 km	85 km (53 mi) E of main shock	China: 774km NNE of Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 23, 2021 03:24 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 13 hours after main shock	4.0 11 km	72 km (45 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 23, 2021 12:12 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 10 hours after main shock	3.1 11 km	42 km (26 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 23, 2021 11:46 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 10 hours after main shock	3.9 11 km	80 km (50 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 23, 2021 02:19 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 day 0 hours after main shock	4.4 2 km	30 km (19 mi) E of main shock	SOUTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA	More
May 22, 2021 11:46 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 22 hours after main shock	3.3 10 km	78 km (49 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 11:24 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 21 hours after main shock	3.1 10 km	75 km (47 mi) W of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 10:01 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 20 hours after main shock	3.1 10 km	23 km (14 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 08:32 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 18 hours after main shock	3.3 10 km	23 km (15 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 05:39 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 16 hours after main shock	4.3 10 km	61 km (38 mi) W of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 05:20 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 15 hours after main shock	3.0 10 km	24 km (15 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:06 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 13 hours after main shock	4.5 10 km	69 km (43 mi) SW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 12:59 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 11 hours after main shock	3.0 10 km	57 km (36 mi) W of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 12:03 pm (Shanghai) 3 years ago 10 hours after main shock	4.7 10 km	60 km (37 mi) W of main shock	China: 748km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 22, 2021 11:21 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 hours after main shock	4.6 12 km	37 km (23 mi) NW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 11:16 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 hours after main shock	3.5 10 km	24 km (15 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 10:42 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 hours after main shock	3.1 10 km	33 km (20 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 10:38 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 hours after main shock	5.0 10 km	61 km (38 mi) E of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 10:29 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 8 hours after main shock	4.7 10 km	79 km (49 mi) NW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 07:32 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 5 hours after main shock	4.2 10 km	102 km (63 mi) W of main shock	China: 716km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 22, 2021 05:59 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 4 hours after main shock	4.7 10 km	2.2 km (1.4 mi) S of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 05:50 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 4 hours after main shock	4.5 10 km	45 km (28 mi) SW of main shock	China: 735km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 22, 2021 05:09 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 3 hours after main shock	3.7 10 km	90 km (56 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 04:36 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 32 minutes after main shock	4.1 10 km	51 km (32 mi) W of main shock	China: 741km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 22, 2021 04:36 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 32 minutes after main shock	3.0 10 km	24 km (15 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 04:23 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 20 minutes after main shock	3.3 10 km	72 km (44 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 04:13 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 9 minutes after main shock	3.1 10 km	76 km (47 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 04:04 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 0 minutes after main shock	4.5 10 km	12 km (7.5 mi) NW of main shock	Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 04:04 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 2 hours and 0 minutes after main shock	3.4 10 km	34 km (21 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:49 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 45 minutes after main shock	4.6 10 km	30 km (19 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:47 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 43 minutes after main shock	3.0 10 km	28 km (17 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:22 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 18 minutes after main shock	3.0 10 km	22 km (14 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:16 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 12 minutes after main shock	3.3 10 km	74 km (46 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 03:09 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 5 minutes after main shock	5.2 138 km	9.1 km (5.7 mi) S of main shock	China: 763km NNE of Pangin, Arunachal Pradesh, India	More
May 22, 2021 03:09 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 1 hour and 5 minutes after main shock	3.9 10 km	34 km (21 mi) NW of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 03:03 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 59 minutes after main shock	4.3 5 km	74 km (46 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:55 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 51 minutes after main shock	4.1 10 km	30 km (19 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:50 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 47 minutes after main shock	4.4 10 km	57 km (36 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:50 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 47 minutes after main shock	3.0 10 km	60 km (37 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:49 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 45 minutes after main shock	3.1 10 km	79 km (49 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:43 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 39 minutes after main shock	3.8 10 km	79 km (49 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:38 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 34 minutes after main shock	3.1 10 km	16 km (9.8 mi) NE of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 02:36 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 32 minutes after main shock	3.6 10 km	13 km (8 mi) NE of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 02:30 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago - felt 26 minutes after main shock	3.4 10 km	68 km (42 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛多县	More
May 22, 2021 02:25 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 21 minutes after main shock	4.7 10 km	77 km (48 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:22 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 19 minutes after main shock	4.3 10 km	66 km (41 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:22 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 18 minutes after main shock	4.6 10 km	48 km (30 mi) SE of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:16 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 12 minutes after main shock	3.9 10 km	71 km (44 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:15 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 11 minutes after main shock	4.9 10 km	71 km (44 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:15 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 11 minutes after main shock	3.3 10 km	77 km (48 mi) E of main shock	China: 青海果洛州玛沁县	More
May 22, 2021 02:13 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 9 minutes after main shock	5.5 10 km	74 km (46 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:10 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago 6 minutes after main shock	5.2 10 km	1.5 km (0.9 mi) E of main shock	Southern Qinghai, China	More
May 22, 2021 02:04 am (Shanghai) 3 years ago - felt	7.4 10 km	0 km - This quake	388 km SW of Xining, Qinghai, China Main Shock (this quake)	More

Show all

Map of aftershocks

Earthquake statistics

Average number of earthquakes

Based on data from the past 14 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900, there are about 15.4 quakes on average per year in the area near the epicenter of this quake (within 100 km/61 mi):

Mag. 6 or higher: 0.02 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 62.5 years)
Mag. 5 or higher: 0.79 quakes per year (or 1 quake every 1.3 years)
Mag. 4 or higher: 7.9 quakes per year
Mag. 3 or higher: 14.1 quakes per year
Mag. 2 or higher: 14.4 quakes per year

The area where this quake occurred has a high level of seismic activity. It has had at least 2 quakes above magnitude 6 since 1900, which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently, probably on average approximately every 60 to 65 years.

Number of quakes per year

Previous quakes in the same area of this earthquake

Strongest in 74 years

The earthquake was the strongest to hit this part of China in over 74 years. Earlier, the last quake of equal or greater strength near the present epicenter had been a magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Monday, Mar 17, 1947, at 08:19 am local time (Universal Time GMT +0) in 164 km (102 mi) distance to the southeast:

Mag. 7.6 earthquake Qinghai-Sichuan border region - China - Mar 17, 1947 -

The strongest-ever (since 1900) recorded quake in this area measured magnitude 7.8. It had occurred 87 years ago earlier, on Thursday, Jan 7, 1937, at 01:20 pm local time (Universal Time GMT +0) in Qinghai,

China:

Mag. 7.8 earthquake 387 km west of Xining - Qinghai, China - Jan 7, 1937 -

Below is a list and map of (larger or recent) quakes that had occurred near the area of the epicenter before this earthquake (within up to 100 km/61 mi distance, up to 300 km/183 mi for very large quakes above mag. 7). Filter the list to limit the number to show, by magnitude or time before.

Date and Time	Mag Depth	Distance	Location	Details
Dec 24, 2020 07:51 am (Shanghai)	4.3 10 km	53 km (33 mi) to the S	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Oct 13, 2015 01:37 am (Shanghai)	4.2 10 km	30 km (19 mi) to the S	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Oct 12, 2015 06:04 pm (Shanghai)	5.0 6 km	32 km (20 mi) to the S	Qinghai, China	Info
Feb 4, 2015 07:53 pm (Shanghai)	4.7 15 km	67 km (42 mi) to the E	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Aug 11, 2014 06:50 pm (Shanghai)	4.8 14 km	68 km (42 mi) to the NE	113km WSW of Nimai, China	Info
Aug 27, 2012 09:42 am (Shanghai)	4.2 10 km	98 km (61 mi) to the NE	southern Qinghai, China	Info
Jun 2, 2000 04:40 am (Shanghai)	4.9 33 km	63 km (39 mi) to the S	southern Qinghai, China	Info
Oct 4, 1996 01:28 am (Shanghai)	4.7 33 km	65 km (40 mi) to the E	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Dec 20, 1995 06:07 pm (Shanghai)	5.0 33 km	75 km (46 mi) to the W	southern Qinghai, China	Info
Dec 20, 1995 06:00 am (Shanghai)	3.7 33 km	49 km (31 mi) to the W	southern Qinghai, China	Info
Dec 18, 1995 12:57 pm (Shanghai)	5.7 33 km	85 km (53 mi) to the W	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Sep 27, 1991 03:39 pm (Shanghai)	4.7 33 km	55 km (34 mi) to the E	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Aug 30, 1991 10:32 pm (Shanghai)	4.3 33 km	90 km (56 mi) to the W	470 km southwest of Xining, Qinghai, China	Info
Nov 2, 1983 05:09 am (Shanghai)	4.7 33 km	40 km (25 mi) to the SE	southern Qinghai, China	Info
Apr 16, 1979 10:50 am (Shanghai)	4.4 33 km	89 km (56 mi) to the W	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Mar 24, 1971 09:54 pm (Shanghai)	6.0 10 km	97 km (61 mi) to the N	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Mar 17, 1947 08:19 am (Universal Time)	7.6 15 km	164 km (102 mi) to the SE	Qinghai-Sichuan border region, China	Info
Nov 17, 1937 06:28 am (Shanghai)	5.5 15 km	102 km (64 mi) to the E	291 km SW of Xining, China	Info
Jan 8, 1937 01:45 am (Shanghai)	5.8 15 km	95 km (59 mi) to the N	Southern Qinghai, China	Info
Jan 7, 1937 01:20 pm (Universal Time)	7.8 15 km	96 km (60 mi) to the NW	387 km west of Xining, Qinghai, China	Info

Map of earlier quakes in the area of this quake

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Most recent quakes Top 20 past 24 hrs Quakes in China

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