Significant earthquakes of 2004

March 24, 2004 Earthquake: Bayan Ul Hot, Uliastai, Nei Mongol, China

March 24, 2004 · M5.4 · $74 million · 38,000 houses destroyed

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Bayan Ul Hot, Uliastai, Nei Mongol, China on March 24, 2004 at 01:53:49 UTC, 19 km below the surface.

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
March 24, 2004
Time
01:53:49 UTC
Place
Bayan Ul Hot, Uliastai, Nei Mongol, China
Magnitude
5.4 (Mw)
Focal depth
19 km (12 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
45.382° N, 118.256° E
Country
China

The toll

Injuries
100
Damage
$74 million
Houses destroyed
38,000

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 100 people injured and 38,000 buildings damaged in the Bayan Ul Hot-Uliastai area. Felt at Chaoyang, Chengde and Baicheng. Damage from this earthquake and the aftershocks estimated at 74 million U.S. dollars. (reference #1053)

More

Significant earthquakes of 2004The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2004Recent 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 5768.