March 6, 1966 Earthquake: Hebei Province, China
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Hebei Province, China on March 6, 1966 at 00:12:19 UTC.
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 6, 1966
- Time
- 00:12:19 UTC
- Place
- Hebei Province, China
- Magnitude
- 5.2 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 37.470° N, 115.030° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 11
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 6, 1966, 08;12:19 local time, South of Ningjing, Hebei Province, 27 deg 28 min N, 115 deg 02 min E, magnitude 5.2, intensity VII.
In and around Gengzhaozhuang, Gengzhuangqiao, Dujiazhuang and Duzhuang, houses generally fissured, some collapsed, for example, 11 houses of Dujiazhuang collapsed. In Gengzhuangqiao, most chimneys on roofs fell, houses generally fissured.
In and around Donghougao, Rencun, Dongying and Wangjiazhuang, weak houses generally fissured, some walls and corners fell.
(above from reference #3939)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 7, 1966, Hebei Province, China
- June 12, 1830, Hebei Province, China
- October 5, 1314, Shexian, Hebei, China
- 777, Shulu, Ningjin, Hebei Province, China
- October 17, 1502, Pucheng, Henan Province, China
- December 2, 1882, Hebei Province, China
- February 4, 1814, Henan Province, China
- March 22, 1966, Hebei Province, China
- March 19, 1966, Hebei Province, China
- March 26, 1966, Hebei Province, China
- December 2, 1967, Shulu, Hebei Province, China
- April 20, 1966, Hebei Province, China
- August 19, 1956, Shanxi Province, China
- August 5, 2023, Pingyuan, Shangdong Province, China
- September 18, 1704, Dongguang, Cangxian, Hebei Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1966The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1966Recent 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 8081.