Beijing, China – Two consecutive earthquakes measuring 5.7 and 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Qinghai Province in northwest China on Tuesday morning, in an incident that caused immediate concern among local residents and prompted relevant authorities in the region to monitor developments on the ground and assess the situation with extreme precision.
Earthquake details and local time
The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) confirmed in its official data that the first earthquake struck the region with a magnitude of 5.7, occurring at 11:16 AM local time (3:16 AM GMT). Just minutes later, a second, stronger aftershock measuring 5.8 occurred in the same area, occurring only 18 minutes later.
Geographic location and surface depth
Reports from relevant authorities indicated that the two consecutive earthquakes occurred and were centered specifically in Xinghai County, which administratively falls under the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Hainan. The China Earthquake Networks Center determined the depth of these earthquakes to be approximately 10 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. Furthermore, the epicenter was located about 244 kilometers from Xining, the administrative capital of Qinghai Province, which made the tremors felt in nearby areas.
Material and human losses and the field situation
Even in the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster, no official reports were received from local authorities or rescue teams regarding casualties, loss of life, or significant damage to infrastructure and private and public property. Local emergency and rescue teams, in cooperation with authorities in Tibetan Hainan Province, are continuing their thorough search and monitoring operations in villages and towns near the epicenter to ensure the safety of residents and to check for any hidden landslides in the rugged mountainous terrain. The situation remains under control, pending further official updates in the coming hours.
