What the record shows for China
The strongest earthquake on record near China is a magnitude 8.6 in 1950, centred 1950 Assam-Tibet Earthquake - 76 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 2,628 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 999 km of China - roughly 131 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 16 tsunamis within 999 km of China between 1855 and 2018. The most significant was in 1920 near China: Gansu And Shanxi Provinces, triggered by an M8.3 earthquake, which killed around 235,502 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Western China, especially Tibet, Xinjiang and Sichuan, is highly seismic due to the India–Eurasia collision.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for China.
Earthquake risk in China - FAQ
Is China at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 131 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 999 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M8.6 in 1950.
What was the biggest earthquake in China?
The strongest earthquake on record near China is M8.6, in 1950 (1950 Assam-Tibet Earthquake), from USGS.
Does China get tsunamis?
Yes - 16 tsunamis since 1855 (most recently 2018) within 999 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 235,502 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in China?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.