Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 rattles through Xinjiang
A statement from the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said that a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Xinjiang.
The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, making it prone to aftershocks. In a post on X, the NCS said, “Equation M: 6.2, On: 04/12/2025 13:14:07 IST, Lat: 41.10 N, Long: 78.61 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Xinjiang, China.” Earlier on December 2, another magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km.
In a post on X, the NCS said, “Equation of M: 3.9, On: 02/12/2025 17:15:31 IST, Lat: 35.78 N, Long: 77.97 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Xinjiang.” Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than shallow ones. This is because seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to reach the surface, causing more ground shaking and potentially causing more damage to buildings and more deaths. China’s geographical location makes it highly vulnerable to frequent seismic activity.
It lies between two of the largest seismic belts, the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt and the Circum-Indian Seismic Belt. Seismic fracture zones are well-developed in this region, which is subducted by the Pacific Plate, the Indian Plate, and the Philippine Plate.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, China has experienced more than 800 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. Except for Guizhou, Zhejiang, and Hong Kong, earthquakes have occurred in almost all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions.
According to the China Science Museum, earthquakes in China have killed more than 550,000 people since 1900, accounting for 53% of all earthquake deaths worldwide. Since 1949, more than 100 devastating earthquakes have occurred in China’s provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, 14 of which were in eastern China.
These earthquakes have killed more than 270,000 people, accounting for 54% of all natural disaster deaths in China. The earthquake-affected districts span an area of 300,000 square kilometers, destroying more than 7 million homes.
Experts say that earthquakes and other natural disasters remain major challenges for China even in peacetime.
