Significant earthquakes of 1961

June 12, 1961 Earthquake: Bac Giang, Hai Duong, Vietnam

June 12, 1961 · M5.7

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Bac Giang, Hai Duong, Vietnam on June 12, 1961 at 09:58:19 UTC, 35 km below the surface.

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 12, 1961
Time
09:58:19 UTC
Place
Bac Giang, Hai Duong, Vietnam
Magnitude
5.7 (Mw)
Focal depth
35 km (22 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
21.480° N, 106.044° E
Country
Vietnam

The toll

Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.

Unusual epicenter about 45 km northeast of Hanoi, at the norther edge of the Red River Delta (Viet-Nam). Damage was caused in the epicentral zone, particularly at Bacgiang and Hai Duong; movement of the Bacgiang-Anchou fault. (reference #13977)

1961-06-12 09:58:19.49 UTC, 21.48 N 106.44 E, magnitude 5.68 Mw (reference #10476, v.11)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1961The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1961Recent 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 10816.