February 24, 2003 Earthquake: Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China on February 24, 2003 at 02:03:41 UTC, 11 km below the surface. It killed 261 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
- February 24, 2003
- Time
- 02:03:41 UTC
- Place
- Bachu, S. Xinjiang, China
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 11 km (7 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 39.610° N, 77.230° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 261
- Injuries
- 4,000
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
- Houses destroyed
- 71,000
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 261 people killed and 4,000
injured; 71,000 buildings collapsed and 40,119
damaged; utilities disrupted; about 38,259 livestock
killed in Bachu County. Felt as far as Urumqi. Also
felt at Almaty, Kazakhstan. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 22, 1902, Xinjiang, Turkestan, China
- August 23, 1985, Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China
- June 21, 1898, Xinjiang, China
- March 19, 1996, Artux, Jiashi, Bachu, Kashi, S. Xinjiang, China
- January 21, 1997, Jiashi County, Southern Xinjiang, China
- April 11, 1997, S. Xinjiang, Bachu, Shule, Yingjisha, China
- November 1, 1896, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, 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
- August 11, 2011, Southern, Kashi, Xinjiang Province, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 2003The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2003Recent 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 5682.