November 19, 1998 Earthquake: Huaping, Lijiang, Ninglag, Sichuan Province, China
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Huaping, Lijiang, Ninglag, Sichuan Province, China on November 19, 1998 at 11:38:14 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 5 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
- November 19, 1998
- Time
- 11:38:14 UTC
- Place
- Huaping, Lijiang, Ninglag, Sichuan Province, China
- Magnitude
- 5.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 27.308° N, 101.029° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 5
- Injuries
- 1,543
- Damage
- $70 million
- Houses destroyed
- 12,000
- Houses damaged
- 12,000
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.
Five people killed, at least 1,543 injured, more than 23,600 homeless, over 12,000 houses destroyed, about 16,000 buildings damaged, 47 bridges and 36 reservoirs damaged, power and communications cut off in Huaping, Lijiang, Ninglang and Yongsheng Counties. Landslides blocked a river in the epicentral area. (reference #1053)
$70 million damage, three killed. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 12, 1850, Xichang, Sichuan, China
- March 16, 1925, Talifu, Yunnan Province, China
- May 25, 1751, Yunnan Province, China
- February 3, 1996, Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China
- October 23, 1515, Dali, Yunnan Province, China
- June 14, 1688, Yunnan Province, China
- February 23, 1839, Yunnan Province, China
- June 27, 1948, Yunnan Province, China
- April 2, 814, Xichang, Sichuan Province, China
- June 17, 1515, Heqing, Yunnan Province, China
- February 7, 1839, Yunnan Province, China
- October 23, 1995, Wuding, Yunnan Province, China
- August 7, 1878, Yunnan Province, China
- August 30, 2008, Sichuan Province, China
- July 21, 2003, Yunnan Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 1998The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1998Recent 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 5509.