August 29, 1963 Earthquake: Xinjiang, China
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China on August 29, 1963 at 08:53:50 UTC. It killed 1 person.
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
- August 29, 1963
- Time
- 08:53:50 UTC
- Place
- Xinjiang, China
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 39.800° N, 74.200° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 40
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.
August 29, 1963, 16:53:50 local time, West of Wuqia, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, 39.8 N, 74.2 E, magnitude 6.5.
Sable: Most civilian houses collapsed.
Ulugqat: About 40 rooms collapsed. 15-20 cm wide fissures occurred on the wet ground with ejection of water. Rocks fell down. One person and a horse were killed.
Jiulangsu: Old civilian houses collapsed. Some houses cracked. Rocks rolled down.
Yasi: Crevices occurred in civilian houses. Rocks
rolled down. Loose objects on niches moved or fell to the ground.
Jigen: A few old houses collapsed. Rocks rolled down. Steep banks collapsed.
Tohuqiao grassland: Huge rocks rolled down the hills in great numbers, blocking brooks and roads. A Mongolian yurt was destroyed. Numerous 1 cm wide fissures occurred in the farmland. Part of ground surface looked like dregs. 7-8 cm
wide fissures occurred on highways, and part of the road surface was offset for about 1 cm. Dust cloud in the mountain regions maintained for 2 hours. Many houses collapsed.
Akto: Floors rattled slightly. Knockers quivered slightly and electric lamps swung.
Yopurga: The shock was felt in- and out-doors. Knockers, ceilings and floors rattled. Electric lamps swung.
Shufu: In Tokzak Region, slight shaking was felt by most people indoors. Electric lamps swung slightly.
Lagena and Yengisar: The shock was felt.
(above from reference #3939)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 22, 1902, Xinjiang, Turkestan, China
- December 16, 1902, Andizhan, Uzbekistan
- October 5, 2008, Nura, Kyrgyzstan
- August 23, 1985, Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China
- November 1, 1896, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
- November 25, 2016, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
- February 12, 2021, Haripur, Tajikistan, Pakistan
- November 11, 1936, S, Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, China
- April 15, 1955, Xinjiang Province, China
- September 14, 1969, Xinjiang Province, China
- April 17, 1990, Wuqia County, S Xinjiang, China
- February 13, 1983, Wuqua S, Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, China
- December 25, 2002, Wuqia, Xinjiang, China
- April 5, 1983, Wuqua, Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, China
- April 5, 1943, Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1963The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1963Recent 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 8028.