M4.6 Earthquake 23 km WNW of Zhonghe, China — May 16, 2025
2025-05-16 01:00:08 UTC (2025-05-16) · approx. 8:00 AM UTC+7 local
On May 16, 2025 at 01:00 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 23 km WNW of Zhonghe, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 25.1128°, 98.1772°. This earthquake was detected by 55 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
98.1772°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Zhonghe, China?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 23 km WNW of Zhonghe, China on May 16, 2025 at 01:00 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 25.1128°, 98.1772°, which is 23 km WNW of Zhonghe, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000pzi1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, May 16, 2025). M4.6 Earthquake 23 km WNW of Zhonghe, China — May 16, 2025. Retrieved July 25, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000pzi1/