October 143 Earthquake: Gansu Province, China
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Gansu Province, China in October 143.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- October 143
- Place
- Gansu Province, China
- Magnitude
- 7 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.700° N, 105.300° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
October 143, W of Gangu, Gansu Province, magnitude 7, intensity IX.
City walls and temples were devastated at Lintao, Hanyang (S of Gangu) and Wudu (W of Chengxian). Fissures occurred in the mountain valleys, and a number of people were killed.
The earthquake also struck Wuwei, Zhangye, Qingyang, Linwu and other places. A succession of 180 shocks happened from October to the next January.
Note: Epicenter uncertain
(above from reference #3939)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 19, 1718, Gansu Province, China
- July 1, 1879, Gansu Province, China
- July 21, 1654, Tianshui, Gansu Province, China
- June 2, 1219, Ningxia, China
- September 12, 1306, Kaicheng, Ningxia, China
- September 2, 1765, Wushan, Gangu, Gansu Province, China
- February 22, 186 BC, Gansu Province, China
- July 20, 1881, Gansu Province, China
- August 1, 1936, Gansu Province, China
- March 19, 734, Tianshui, Gansu Province, China
- July 21, 2013, Dingxi, Min, Gansu, China
- January 14, 1885, Gansu Province, China
- September 10, 1837, Gansu Province, China
- January 1634, Xihe, Gansu Province, China
- June 18, 1822, Gansu Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 143The 100sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 7898.