M5.6 earthquake 297 km SW of Yanglong, China
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 297 km SW of Yanglong, China on Thu, Aug 31, 1972, 2:51 AM GMT+8 (18:51 UTC), 17 km (10 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.6 (mw), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1972-08-30 18:51:34 UTC
- Depth
- 16.5 km (10.3 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 36.654° N, 96.434° E
- Region
- China
- Strongest shaking
- VII, very strong shaking
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Shaking
The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
- Strongest estimated
- VII, very strong shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 22.9% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 2.7 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Magnitude uncertainty
- ±0.20
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 2 in the 30 days before it.
Before
Earthquakes todayChina earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem771120. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 3:34 AM UTC.