250 BC Earthquake: Chiguchin, Kyrgyzstan
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Chiguchin, Kyrgyzstan in 250 BC, 20 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
- 250 BC
- Place
- Chiguchin, Kyrgyzstan
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 20 km (12 mi)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 42.700° N, 77.500° E
- Country
- Kyrgyzstan
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
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.
250 B.C. 42.7 N, 77.5 E, magnitude 6..7, intensity VIII-IX. Chiguchin destroyed. (reference #223)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 3, 1911, Alma-Ata, Turkestan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
- January 22, 2024, Xinjiang Province, Kazakhstan, China
- June 8, 1887, Vernensk, Kazakhstan
- 500, Kazakhstan
- March 24, 1978, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- June 5, 1970, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- July 11, 1889, Cilik, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- December 25, 2006, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan
- 1475, Bolosagun, Kyrgyzstan
- February 14, 2005, Wushi, Xinjiang Province, China
- January 24, 1987, Xingjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, Wushi, China
More
Significant earthquakes of 250 BCThe 200s BCRecent earthquakes near here
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 25.