November 14, 2003 Earthquake: Ludian, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, China
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Ludian, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, China on November 14, 2003 at 18:49:46 UTC, 33 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
- November 14, 2003
- Time
- 18:49:46 UTC
- Place
- Ludian, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, China
- Magnitude
- 5.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 27.372° N, 103.971° E
- Country
- China
The toll
- Deaths
- 4
- Injuries
- 65
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 600
- Houses damaged
- 600
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, 65 injured, 600 houses
destroyed, 98,000 buildings damaged and power outages
occurred in Ludian and Zhaotong Counties. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 12, 1850, Xichang, Sichuan, China
- May 10, 1974, Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, Chao-T'Ung, China
- July 30, 1917, Yunnan Province, China
- August 3, 2014, Longtoushan, Zhaotong, Ludian, Yunnan, China
- April 2, 814, Xichang, Sichuan Province, China
- December 18, 1935, Sichuan Province, China
- September 7, 2012, Yiliang, Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, China
- May 14, 1930, Yunnan Province, China
- August 17, 1936, Yunnan Province, China
- April 18, 1985, Yunnan Province, China
- July 22, 2006, Yanjin, China
- June 17, 2019, Yibin, Sichuan, China
- 26 BC, Yibin, Sichuan, China
- August 10, 2004, Ludian, Yunnan Province, China
- May 18, 2020, Qiaojia, Yunnan 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 5734.