M5.1 Earthquake 273 km SSE of Dunhuang, China — September 3, 2026
2026-09-03 17:04:40 UTC (2026-09-03) · approx. 11:04 PM UTC+6 local
On September 3, 2026 at 17:04 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 273 km SSE of Dunhuang, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 37.7769°, 95.4643°. This earthquake was detected by 98 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
95.4643°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Dunhuang, China?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 273 km SSE of Dunhuang, China on September 3, 2026 at 17:04 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 37.7769°, 95.4643°, which is 273 km SSE of Dunhuang, China.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000te21). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 3, 2026). M5.1 Earthquake 273 km SSE of Dunhuang, China — September 3, 2026. Retrieved October 14, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000te21/