September 27, 1990 Earthquake: Zaysan, Kazakhstan
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck Zaysan, Kazakhstan on September 27, 1990 at 21:12:32 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
- September 27, 1990
- Time
- 21:12:32 UTC
- Place
- Zaysan, Kazakhstan
- Magnitude
- 4.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 47.903° N, 84.961° E
- Country
- Kazakhstan
The toll
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 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.
1990, Sept 27. Some damage (VI) to buildings in the Zoysan area, USSR which had been weakened by previous earthquakes. Felt (IV) at Ust-Kamenogorsk and (II) at Semipalatinsk, USSR. (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 5260.