January 21, 1997 Earthquake: Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China on January 21, 1997 at 01:48:30 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 12 people.
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
- January 21, 1997
- Time
- 01:48:30 UTC
- Place
- Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China
- Magnitude
- 5.9 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 39.474° N, 76.998° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 12
- Injuries
- 40
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 14,000
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.
At least 12 people killed, 40 injured and 2,500 families homeless; about 14,000 homes destroyed, 17,000 additional homes damaged and 3,360 head of livestock killed in the Jiashi area. Felt at Aksu, Akto, Artux, Kashi and Wuqia. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 22, 1902, Xinjiang, Turkestan, China
- February 24, 2003, Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
- August 23, 1985, Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China
- June 21, 1898, Xinjiang, China
- March 19, 1996, Artux, Jiashi, Bachu, Kashi, S. Xinjiang, China
- April 11, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Bachu, Shule, Yingjisha, China
- November 1, 1896, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China
- March 5, 1896, Xinjiang, China
- February 25, 2003, Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
- August 27, 1998, Jiashi, Southern Xinjiang, China
- March 1, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, Kashi, China
- May 4, 2003, Yopurga, S. Xinjiang, China
- January 19, 2020, Xinjiang Province, China
- April 6, 1997, S. Xinjiang, China
- April 5, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Jiashi County, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1997The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1997Recent 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 5446.