5.1

M5.1 Earthquake near Southern Qinghai, China — May 30, 2021

2021-05-30 04:50:09 UTC (2021-05-30) · approx. 11:50 AM UTC+7 local

MagnitudeM5.1(mb)
Time04:50 UTC≈ 11:50 AM UTC+7
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates34.624°, 98.196°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On May 30, 2021 at 04:50 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Southern Qinghai, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 34.6242°, 98.1957°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 34.62°, 98.20°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.1 mb
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
34.6242°N
98.1957°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000efxi
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
400
Azimuthal Gap
65.0°
Min Station Distance
4.690°
RMS Residual
0.78 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 19:01:18 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Southern Qinghai, China?

The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near Southern Qinghai, China on May 30, 2021 at 04:50 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 34.6242°, 98.1957°, which is near Southern Qinghai, China.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000efxi). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 30, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake near Southern Qinghai, China — May 30, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000efxi/