M4.5 Earthquake 54 km NE of Simao, China — July 31, 2026
2026-07-31 21:24:10 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 4:24 AM UTC+7 local
On July 31, 2026 at 21:24 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 54 km NE of Simao, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 23.1907°, 101.2878°. This earthquake was detected by 42 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
101.2878°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Simao, China?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 54 km NE of Simao, China on July 31, 2026 at 21:24 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 23.1907°, 101.2878°, which is 54 km NE of Simao, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000thc9). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, July 31, 2026). M4.5 Earthquake 54 km NE of Simao, China — July 31, 2026. Retrieved July 31, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000thc9/