March 5, 1896 Earthquake: Xinjiang, China
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on March 5, 1896. It killed 7 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
- March 5, 1896
- Place
- Xinjiang, China
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.000° N, 76.000° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 7
- Injuries
- 4
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 42
- Houses damaged
- 42
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.
March 5, 1896, In and around Taxkorgan, Xinjiang Antonomous Region, 38 N, 76 E, magnitude 6.5.
At Bistan, Tadunbashmeiryang and other villages 42 civilian houses and 20 Mongolian yurts were destroyed, killing 7 and injuring 4 people, more than 800 domestic animals were killed. The field was covered with sand and stones at 168 places.
(above from reference #3939)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 23, 1985, Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China
- January 21, 1997, Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China
- April 11, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Bachu, Shule, Yingjisha, China
- May 10, 2017, Quzgun, Taxkorgan Tajik, Xinjiang, China
- November 1, 1896, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
- July 3, 2015, Hotan, S. Xinjiang, China
- March 1, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, Kashi, China
- January 19, 2026, Barishal, Pakistan
- May 4, 2003, Yopurga, S. Xinjiang, China
- December 1, 2011, Southern, Kashi, Xinjiang Province, China
- November 15, 1959, Xingjiang, China
- November 30, 1993, Shufu, Southern Xinjiang, China
- September 27, 1944, Xinjiang, China
- April 5, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, China
- April 17, 1990, Wuqia County, S Xinjiang, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1896The 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 8107.