M4.2 Earthquake 20 km W of Qiushan, China — May 21, 2025
2025-05-21 23:16:50 UTC (2025-05-21) · approx. 6:16 AM UTC+7 local
On May 21, 2025 at 23:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 20 km W of Qiushan, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 34.3547°, 104.6723°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
104.6723°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Qiushan, China?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 20 km W of Qiushan, China on May 21, 2025 at 23:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000qi60). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, May 21, 2025). M4.2 Earthquake 20 km W of Qiushan, China — May 21, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000qi60/