M4.9 Earthquake 285 km NW of Nagqu, China — May 22, 2026
2026-05-22 17:16:27 UTC (2026-05-22) · approx. 11:16 PM UTC+6 local
On May 22, 2026 at 17:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 285 km NW of Nagqu, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 33.4947°, 90.1703°. This earthquake was detected by 94 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
90.1703°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Nagqu, China?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 285 km NW of Nagqu, China on May 22, 2026 at 17:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 33.4947°, 90.1703°, which is 285 km NW of Nagqu, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000szjs). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 22, 2026). M4.9 Earthquake 285 km NW of Nagqu, China — May 22, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000szjs/