August 10, 1931 Earthquake: N, Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, China

August 11, 1931, 05:18:43 local time, Near Fuyun, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, 47.1 N, 89.8 E, depth 14 km, magnitude 8, intensity XI.

Meizoseismic region: ranged from the Karatunggu Commune, Fuyun, in the west, to the Qangkan River Valley, Qinghe county in the southeast, and to the south margin of the Koktokay Basin in the north. Adobe-stone tombs collapsed. Some yurts were tilted by shaking, one of them fell into a large fissure. The ground fissured, landslides occurred and the level of the ground water changed extensively. Fallen stones, usually tens of centimetres to 1 m even 3-4 m in diameter were found all over the fields covering vast stretches of land and smashing yurts and trees. People and livestock suffered casualties. Cliffs collapsed damming valleys and blocking roads, some yet impassable up to now. Large landslips occurred extensively. Surface soil and pebbles as well as vegetation were all gone from hillsides. Karantunggu, originally flat in topography and luxuriant in vegetation was turned into a depression, surrounded by a string of hillocks. Rivers dried up and plants withered. A 20 km long section of the high mountains around Kalaxiangetaniao lowered 10 m, the piedmont 5 m. The ground fissures were generally 4-20 m in width and 50-100 m in length (some even longer) and about 0.5-4m in depth in the southern margin of the Koktokay Basin, Dalekum, Kuzk, and Sayburtayi, moreover a great fissure extended longitud inally through this area. This set of fissures was developed NW 315-340 deg, another set NE 30-40 deg. In the Turgen Basin, ground fissures ran crisscross with ejection of water and sand. Some spring dried up.

Fuyun: Only 20 odd mud houses (barracks) with no columns collapsed completely and many soldiers were killed at Temeke, After shaking, the Shuik, ouyu Valley was dammed, the lake basin sunk, the area of the lake expanded and water depth increased in Koktokay. Houses collapsed under shaking with loss of 10,000 lives in the whole county.

Qinghe: Simple mud-and-sod houses collapsed, part of wooden houses were shaken out of joints, tombs fell in, and many small fissures occurred in the ground with heavy loss of livestock.

Fuhai: Wooden houses collapsed, and 6 persons and 17 head of livestock were killed in the city. Ground fissures 5-6 em wide occurred in the Dongfeng Commune.

Altay: Some old houses collapsed and people suffered. loss of life and property. Wooden houses were tilted in Mirkesaiyi Mine. Mines collapsed and people suffered casualties.

Orumqi: The walls of a shabby house collapsed.

Manas: Houses collapsed under shaking.

Yiwu: Dust fell from ceilings, fissures occurred in the old walls of houses, and a few walls collapsed. People and livestock suffered casualties.

Qitai: The northern city walls fissured.

The shock was felt at Habahe, Jeminay, Hoboksar; Turpan and Hami (Kumul).

(above from reference #3939)

August 10, 1931, 21:18:40 UTC, 47 N 90 E, shallow depth, magnitude 7.9. (reference #88)

Magnitude 8.0 Mw. (reference #1314)

10 000 deaths (reference #1250)