M4.6 Earthquake 30 km SW of Zhaotong, China — September 7, 2026
2026-09-07 17:31:42 UTC (2026-09-07) · approx. 12:31 AM UTC+7 local
On September 7, 2026 at 17:31 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 30 km SW of Zhaotong, China, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 27.1287°, 103.4912°. This earthquake was detected by 70 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
103.4912°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Zhaotong, China?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 30 km SW of Zhaotong, China on September 7, 2026 at 17:31 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 27.1287°, 103.4912°, which is 30 km SW of Zhaotong, 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: us7000tey8). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, September 7, 2026). M4.6 Earthquake 30 km SW of Zhaotong, China — September 7, 2026. Retrieved September 17, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tey8/