Significant earthquakes of 1976

May 29, 1976 Earthquake: Lungling-Lushi, Yunnan Province, China

May 29, 1976 · M7.3 · Deaths: some

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Lungling-Lushi, Yunnan Province, China on May 29, 1976 at 12:23:18 UTC, 8 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
May 29, 1976
Time
12:23:18 UTC
Place
Lungling-Lushi, Yunnan Province, China
Magnitude
7.3 (Ms)
Focal depth
8 km (5 mi)
Intensity
9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
24.570° N, 98.953° E
Country
China

The toll

Deaths
Some (about 51 to 100)
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 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.

May 29, 1976, 12;23:18.7 UTC, Yunnan Province, China, 24.57 N, 98.953 E, depth 8 km, magnitude 6.1 mb, 6.9 MS. Casualties and extensive damage reported in Lungling-Lushi area of China. Also felt in northeastern Burma. (reference #1053)

May 29, 1976, 20:23:20.3 Beijing time, 24.5 N, 99 E, depth 24 km, magnitude 7.3 MS, intensity IX. (reference #3939)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1976The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1976Recent 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 4725.