August 4, 1561 Earthquake: Shaanxi,gansu,and Shanxi Provinces, China
An earthquake struck Shaanxi,gansu,and Shanxi Provinces, China on August 4, 1561.
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
- August 4, 1561
- Place
- Shaanxi,gansu,and Shanxi Provinces, China
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.000° N, 112.000° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- Very many (over 1,000)
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 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.
August 4, 1561, very many deaths. (reference #1096)
August 5, 1561, China (Shansi), Taiyuan Fu, Tatung Fu; (Shensi), Yulin Fu; (Kansu), Ninghsia Fu and Kuynan in Pingling Fu, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 9, 1038, Dingxiang, Xinxian, Shaanxi Province, China
- May 21, 512, Yingxian, Shaanxi Province, China
- November 22, 1683, Shanxi Province, China
- April 17, 1891, Shanxi Province, China
- August 19, 820, Fan Chong, Shaanxi Province, China
- September 22, 1898, Shanxi Province, China
- June 10, 1957, Shanxi Province, China
- June 23, 1883, Shanxi Province, China
- September 15, 1937, Shanxi Province, China
- July 8, 1368, Xugou, Shanxi Province, China
- January 15, 1102, Chin,hsi Tai IN Tai,yuan, Shanxi Province, China
- 1545, Hiao Yi, Shaanxi Province, China
- 1664, Shanxi Province, China
- October 23, 1614, Shaanxi Province, China
- May 20, 1618, Shanxi Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1561The 1500sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 741.