June 21, 1898 Earthquake: Xinjiang, China
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on June 21, 1898. It killed 47 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
- June 21, 1898
- Place
- Xinjiang, China
- Magnitude
- 6 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 39.800° N, 76.600° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 47
- Injuries
- 85
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 425
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.
June 21, 1898, Artux, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, 39.8 N, 76.6 E, magnitude 6, intensity VIII.
117 families in 7 small villages including Shituohuke
Were hit by this earthquake. 425 rooms of houses
collapsed, killing 47 persons and injuring 85.
More than 100 domestic animals were killed. The earthquake also struck Kashi City and its nearby villages. (reference #3939)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 22, 1902, Xinjiang, Turkestan, China
- February 24, 2003, Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
- August 23, 1985, Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China
- March 19, 1996, Artux, Jiashi, Bachu, Kashi, S. Xinjiang, China
- January 21, 1997, Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China
- April 11, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Bachu, Shule, Yingjisha, China
- November 1, 1896, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
- February 25, 2003, Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
- August 27, 1998, Jiashi, Southern Xinjiang, China
- March 1, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, Kashi, China
- January 19, 2020, Xinjiang Province, China
- May 4, 2003, Yopurga, S. Xinjiang, China
- March 19, 1998, Artux, Kashgar, Southern Xinjiang, China
- April 5, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, China
- August 11, 2011, Southern, Kashi, Xinjiang Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1898The 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 2538.