China earthquakes in 1981
40 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in China in 1981. The largest: M6.8 131 km NW of Kangding, China, Jan 24, 1981.
From the USGS catalog. Times are local to each quake.
Map
Where every quake of 1981 was located in China. Select one for its page.
Every quake of 1981
Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.
- 4.7112 km ENE of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 4.87 km S of Shangri-La, China · 33 km deep
- 4.893 km NE of Kashgar, China · 34 km deep
- 4.585 km W of Zhaotong, China · 33 km deep
- 4.6132 km WNW of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 5.167 km NW of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 4.674 km NNW of Zangguy, China · 33 km deep
- 4.737 km NE of Rikaze, China · 48 km deep
- 5.532 km WSW of Nangong, China · 14 km deep
- 5.137 km N of Tianpeng, China · 33 km deep
- 4.5287 km N of Rikaze, China · 33 km deep
- 4.828 km SE of Dashiqiao, China · 33 km deep
- 4.790 km W of Kuqa, China · 33 km deep
- 4.7130 km NW of Kangding, China · 33 km deep
- 5.2129 km NNE of Jinghong, China · 33 km deep
- 4.8233 km E of Hami, China · 33 km deep
- 4.926 km ENE of Beichengqu, China · 33 km deep
- 4.725 km W of Haicheng, China · 33 km deep
- 4.620 km WSW of Zangguy, China · 33 km deep
- 5.1149 km ENE of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 5.138 km SW of Houqiao, China · 10 km deep
- 4.571 km WSW of Shache, China · 64 km deep
- 4.970 km SW of Shihezi, China · 33 km deep
- 4.675 km WNW of Leshan, China · 33 km deep
- 6.0Southern Qinghai, China · 10 km deep
- 4.8103 km ENE of Lijiang, China · 33 km deep
- 4.9289 km NNE of Burang, China · 33 km deep
- 5.018 km WNW of Heyuan, China · 35 km deep
- 4.582 km SE of Qapqal, China · 33 km deep
- 5.197 km ESE of Yakeshi, China · 33 km deep
- 4.931 km NNW of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 5.39 km SSE of Xinyuan, China · 33 km deep
- 4.8104 km NNE of Zangguy, China · 33 km deep
- 5.044 km SE of Ya'an, China · 35 km deep
- 4.6132 km W of Kashgar, China · 106 km deep
- 4.9124 km NE of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 4.832 km NW of Linqiong, China · 33 km deep
- 4.862 km WSW of Changji, China · 22 km deep
- 5.0234 km SE of Qiongkulecun, China · 35 km deep
- 6.8131 km NW of Kangding, China · 33 km deep
The largest
The 25 largest of 1981 in China.
- 6.8131 km NW of Kangding, China · 33 km deep
- 6.0Southern Qinghai, China · 10 km deep
- 5.532 km WSW of Nangong, China · 14 km deep
- 5.39 km SSE of Xinyuan, China · 33 km deep
- 5.2129 km NNE of Jinghong, China · 33 km deep
- 5.167 km NW of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 5.137 km N of Tianpeng, China · 33 km deep
- 5.1149 km ENE of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 5.197 km ESE of Yakeshi, China · 33 km deep
- 5.138 km SW of Houqiao, China · 10 km deep
- 5.0234 km SE of Qiongkulecun, China · 35 km deep
- 5.018 km WNW of Heyuan, China · 35 km deep
- 5.044 km SE of Ya'an, China · 35 km deep
- 4.926 km ENE of Beichengqu, China · 33 km deep
- 4.970 km SW of Shihezi, China · 33 km deep
- 4.9289 km NNE of Burang, China · 33 km deep
- 4.931 km NNW of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 4.9124 km NE of Kashgar, China · 33 km deep
- 4.87 km S of Shangri-La, China · 33 km deep
- 4.893 km NE of Kashgar, China · 34 km deep
- 4.828 km SE of Dashiqiao, China · 33 km deep
- 4.8233 km E of Hami, China · 33 km deep
- 4.8103 km ENE of Lijiang, China · 33 km deep
- 4.8104 km NNE of Zangguy, China · 33 km deep
- 4.832 km NW of Linqiong, China · 33 km deep
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1981 | 1 | 6.8 | 131 km NW of Kangding, China |
| February 1981 | 6 | 5.0 | 234 km SE of Qiongkulecun, China |
| March 1981 | 2 | 5.3 | 9 km SSE of Xinyuan, China |
| April 1981 | 2 | 5.1 | 97 km ESE of Yakeshi, China |
| May 1981 | 4 | 5.0 | 18 km WNW of Heyuan, China |
| June 1981 | 2 | 6.0 | Southern Qinghai, China |
| July 1981 | 2 | 4.9 | 70 km SW of Shihezi, China |
| August 1981 | 5 | 5.1 | 149 km ENE of Kashgar, China |
| September 1981 | 2 | 5.2 | 129 km NNE of Jinghong, China |
| October 1981 | 4 | 4.8 | 28 km SE of Dashiqiao, China |
| November 1981 | 3 | 5.5 | 32 km WSW of Nangong, China |
| December 1981 | 7 | 5.1 | 67 km NW of Kashgar, China |
What this means
The catalog is only as complete as the instruments of the time. Worldwide coverage of magnitude 5 and up dates from the 1960s, and of 4.5 from the 1990s; earlier years hold the large quakes and the ones near a station, so a low count in an early year means fewer instruments, not a quiet earth.
By year
Every year the USGS catalog covers.
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- 2000s2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
- 1990s1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
- 1980s1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
- 1970s1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
- 1960s1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
- 1950s1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
- 1940s1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
- 1930s1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
- 1920s1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
- 1910s1910191119121913191419151916191719181919
- 1900s1900190119021903190419051906190719081909
Nearby
Sources
Earthquakes, magnitudes, depths, shaking estimates and felt reports from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, read from its live feeds and its catalog back to 1900. Tsunami messages from NOAA’s tsunami warning centers.