August 16, 2003 Earthquake: Lindong, Tianshan, Nei Mongol, China
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Lindong, Tianshan, Nei Mongol, China on August 16, 2003 at 10:58:42 UTC, 24 km below the surface. It killed 4 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
- August 16, 2003
- Time
- 10:58:42 UTC
- Place
- Lindong, Tianshan, Nei Mongol, China
- Magnitude
- 5.4 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 24 km (15 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 43.770° N, 119.643° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 4
- Injuries
- 1,000
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 7,900
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 4 people killed, more than 1,000 injured, 7,900
houses destroyed and 83,000 damaged in the Lindong-
Tianshan area. Felt as far as Beijing. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
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 5716.