Significant earthquakes of 1990

April 17, 1990 Earthquake: Wuqia County, S Xinjiang, China

April 17, 1990 · M6.2

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Wuqia County, S Xinjiang, China on April 17, 1990 at 01:59:33 UTC, 33 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
April 17, 1990
Time
01:59:33 UTC
Place
Wuqia County, S Xinjiang, China
Magnitude
6.2 (Ms)
Focal depth
33 km (21 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
39.436° N, 74.900° E
Country
China

The toll

Injuries
2
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed
Many (101 to 1,000)

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.

Two people injured and many houses collapsed in Wuqia County. Felt at Kashi, Shufu and Wuqia. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1990The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1990Recent 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 5230.