M5.9 Earthquake: 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China

Updated 09:05 UTC · 29 Oct 2026

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck 218 km ENE of Nagqu, China at 11:25 UTC on 25 Oct 2026, at a depth of 7 km, reported by USGS. USGS PAGER issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths. USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. So far 4 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 50 km, the largest a M5.4.

M5.9

Magnitude (USGS)

mww

7 km

Depth

shallow

GREEN

USGS PAGER impact alert

estimated impact

Aftershocks M2.5+ so far

within 50 km

[ fig. 1 ] M5.9 EPICENTRE, AFTERSHOCKS AND PAST QUAKESThis quakeAftershock M5+AftershockPast M6+

USGS · updated 09:05 UTC 2026-10-29Tap a point for details · pinch or ctrl + scroll to zoomTrack this live in the app ›

Nearest places

Nagqu, Tibet, China218 km from the epicentre · quake was ENE of here · population 30,000218 KM
Qamdo, Tibet, China331 km from the epicentre · quake was WNW of here · population 86,280331 KM
Lhasa, Tibet, China420 km from the epicentre · quake was NE of here · population 118,721420 KM
Dêqên, Tibet, China421 km from the epicentre · quake was NE of here · population 62,400421 KM
Shi Yomi, Arunachal Pradesh, India437 km from the epicentre · quake was N of here · population 13,310437 KM
Yushu, China283 km from the epicentre · quake was WSW of here · population 141,000283 KM
Nyingchi, China314 km from the epicentre · quake was N of here · population 200,000314 KM
Lhoka, China419 km from the epicentre · quake was NNE of here · population 354,000419 KM

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Strongest aftershocks so far

Key context

Tectonic setting

Tibetan plateau and western China. The collision of India with Asia pushes the Tibetan plateau up and out to the east. Large strike-slip and thrust faults ring the plateau, such as the Longmenshan (M7.9 Wenchuan quake, 2008), and the M7.1 Tingri (Dingri) quake of January 2025 hit the plateau's south.

The USGS moment tensor shows normal faulting: the crust was pulled apart and one block dropped down, typical of stretching crust or of bending in a sinking slab.

At 7 km it was a very shallow quake: shallow quakes shake the ground above them hardest, so local damage depends on how close towns are.

Shaking and impact

USGS PAGER estimates the impact from the shaking and the number of people exposed. For this quake it issued a green alert: little or no damage and a low chance of deaths (fatality alert: green, economic loss alert: green). PAGER is an early estimate and can change as reports come in.

The USGS ShakeMap estimates the strongest shaking at intensity VII on the Modified Mercalli scale (very strong).

USGS had no "Did You Feel It?" reports for this quake when this page was updated; remote and offshore quakes often get none.

Aftershocks

This page counts quakes of M2.5 or more within 50 km after the main shock, from the USGS catalog (last checked 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026): 4 aftershocks so far.

Aftershocks are normal after a quake of this size. They usually become less frequent over days and weeks, but a strong aftershock can still happen, and in a few sequences a later quake is larger. No one can predict their exact time or size; follow the official agency for your area.

Earthquake history within 250 km

Since 1976, USGS lists 87 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 1.7 a year. Since 1900 the same circle had 9 quakes of M5.9 or larger.

Largest earlier quakes within 250 km, USGS catalog since 1900 (M6+).
Magnitude	Place (USGS)	Date	Depth
M7.0	191 km ENE of Nagqu, China	2026-10-22	18 km
M6.9	233 km NNW of Qamdo, China	2010-04-13	17 km
M6.2	161 km NNE of Nagqu, China	1934-06-23	15 km
M6.1	196 km NNE of Nagqu, China	1975-05-05	33 km
M6.1	239 km NNW of Qamdo, China	2010-04-14	8 km
M6.1	Southern Qinghai, China	1961-12-04	16 km

Official information

China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC)
EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)
USGS event page for this quake (ShakeMap, PAGER, felt reports)
tsunami.gov for US tsunami bulletins

Data status

USGS review status: reviewed. Magnitude type: mww. USGS last updated this event on 26 Oct 2026 at 11:33 UTC. Magnitude, depth and location can still be revised; this page keeps the same address if they change.

Questions and answers

How strong was the earthquake near Nagqu, China?

USGS measured it at magnitude 5.9 (mww), 7 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity VII (very strong). Quakes of M5 to 5.9 are classed as moderate.

Was there a tsunami?

USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. If you are on a coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground anyway, and follow local officials.

Was the earthquake felt?

USGS had no felt reports when this page was updated. That is common for offshore and remote quakes. If you felt it, you can report it on the USGS event page.

Will there be more aftershocks?

Aftershocks are likely to continue for days to weeks, becoming less frequent over time. So far 4 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been listed. Most sequences do not produce a larger quake, but some do. No one can predict the time or size of the next one; follow China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

What should I do after a strong earthquake?

Expect aftershocks: Drop, Cover and Hold On when shaking starts again. Check for injuries and damage, stay out of damaged buildings, and use text messages instead of calls so emergency lines stay free. On a coast, move to high ground after strong shaking. Follow your local officials.

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Sources

USGS event page: magnitude, location, ShakeMap, PAGER and Did You Feel It? data for this event. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS ComCat (FDSN event web service): the USGS earthquake catalog, used for the 30-year counts, history and aftershocks. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Geoserve: nearest places to the epicentre.
GeoNames: large-city coordinates, CC BY 4.0.

Page built 09:05 UTC, 2026-10-29. Full list: data sources and method.