January 14, 1885 Earthquake: Gansu Province, China
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Gansu Province, China on January 14, 1885. It killed 80 people.
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
- January 14, 1885
- Place
- Gansu Province, China
- Magnitude
- 6 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.500° N, 105.700° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 80
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 1,001
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.
January 14, 1885, S of Tianshui, Gansu Province, 34.5 N, 105.7 E, magnitude 6, intensity VIII.
The earthquake lasted for a long time in an area more
than 50 km in circumference covering Dayouli, Baihudian, Miaopingnanchuan, Qingshitiamiliui of Tianshui), striking more violently in mountain districts than in the level land. More than 1,000 rooms collapsed, killing more than 80 persons.
The earthquake also struck Qingshui, Wenxian, Wudu
and Xihe, ofGansu Province; Longxian, Fengxiang,
Meixian, Lantian, Hanzhong, Deli, Qjshan and
Fengxian, of Shaanxi Province.
(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
- September 10, 1837, Gansu Province, China
- January 1634, Xihe, Gansu Province, China
- June 18, 1822, Gansu Province, China
- June 22, 1880, Wenxian, Gansu Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1885The 1800sRecent 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 2342.