M5.9 Earthquake 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China — October 25, 2026
2026-10-25 11:25:57 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 5:25 PM UTC+6 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.1 (severe). Aftershock of the M7.0 mainshock.
On October 25, 2026 at 11:25 UTC, a magnitude 5.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China, at a depth of 7.0 km and coordinates 32.4625°, 94.0534°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 110 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 536, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 7.0 mainshock that occurred 2 days ago 191 km ENE of Nagqu, China. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 11 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for months to years as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 25,599 |
| MMI 4 | light | 97,357 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 3,226 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 123 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 6 |
Earthquake Details
94.0534°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Nagqu, China?
The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China on October 25, 2026 at 11:25 UTC had a depth of 7.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 32.4625°, 94.0534°, which is 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.9 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M7.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.9 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 7.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 191 km ENE of Nagqu, China. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000u4ty). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 25, 2026). M5.9 Earthquake 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China — October 25, 2026. Retrieved October 25, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000u4ty/