A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Yunnan province in southwestern China on Tuesday evening, prompting strong tremors in parts of the region, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said the quake struck at 7:43 pm local time (11:43 GMT). The epicentre was located in Mojiang County, where residents reported feeling a strong jolt, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. Authorities said they were assessing the situation and had not received any reports of injuries or property damage.

WHY YUNNAN IS PRONE TO EARTHQUAKES

Yunnan is one of China's most seismically active provinces due to its location on the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, where the ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates creates immense geological stress. The province is crisscrossed by several active fault systems, including the Xiaojiang Fault, making moderate and strong earthquakes relatively common. Scientists describe the region as tectonically complex, with frequent seismic activity caused by the movement of multiple fault lines.

Tuesday's quake struck near an area that has experienced significant seismic activity in the past. In September 2018, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit Mojiang County, injuring dozens of people and damaging hundreds of buildings. Studies later found the quake occurred on a strike-slip fault in the tectonically active region.

Elsewhere in Yunnan, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Yangbi County in May 2021, killing three people and injuring dozens, while a magnitude 6.6 quake hit Ludian County in 2014, claiming more than 600 lives and becoming one of the province's deadliest earthquakes in recent decades. The region also witnessed a magnitude 5.0 earthquake in Qiaojia County in 2020.

- Ends

With inputs from Reuters

Published By:

Satyam Singh

Published On:

Jul 21, 2026 18:05 IST