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4.4 Magnitude Quake Strikes Xinjiang, Following Recent 6.2 Tremor

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck China's Xinjiang region at a depth of 180 kilometers. This event follows a more powerful and potentially more dangerous magnitude 6.2 shallow quake that hit the same region in December 2025. China is highly prone to seismic activity due to its position between the circum-Pacific and circum-Indian seismic belts. Historical data reveals earthquakes have caused over 550,000 fatalities in China since 1900, accounting for more than half of global quake casualties.

Key Points: Earthquake in Xinjiang: 4.4 Magnitude Quake Struck

  • 4.4 magnitude quake at 180km depth
  • Follows Dec 2025 6.2 shallow quake
  • China located between major seismic belts
  • Over 550,000 quake deaths since 1900
  • Quakes have struck most Chinese regions
2 min read

Earthquake of magnitude 4.4 strikes Xinjiang

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit Xinjiang at 180km depth. Learn about China's seismic risk and historical quake casualty data.

"Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. - Science Experts"

Xinjiang, February 6

An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck Xinjiang on Friday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology said.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 180km.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.4, On: 06/02/2026 07:55:00 IST, Lat: 37.99 N, Long: 76.25 E, Depth: 180 Km, Location: Xinjiang."

On December 4, an earthquake of magnitude 6.2 occurred in Xinjiang. The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of 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."

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties.

China's geographical position makes it highly prone to frequent seismic activity.

It is located between the two largest seismic belts, the circum-Pacific seismic belt and the circum-Indian seismic belt.

Squeezed by the Pacific plate, the Indian plate and the Philippine plate, the seismic fracture zones are well developed in this region.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, more than 800 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater have occurred in China.

Earthquakes have struck almost all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, except for Guizhou, Zhejiang, and Hong Kong.

According to the Science Museums of China, over 5,50,000 people have died in earthquakes in China since 1900, accounting for 53 per cent of total global earthquake casualties.

Since 1949, more than 100 destructive earthquakes have occurred across Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, 14 of which are in East China.

These earthquakes have caused the deaths of more than 2,70,000 people, representing 54 per cent of the total death toll caused by natural disasters in China.

The earthquake-stricken districts cover an area of 300,000 square kilometres, with more than 7 million rooms destroyed.

Experts note that earthquakes and other natural disasters continue to pose major challenges to China even in peaceful times.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
A 4.4 magnitude at 180km depth is likely not felt much. Thank God for that. The December one at 10km depth must have been scary though. The article explains the science well - shallow quakes are the real danger. Stay safe, everyone in the region.
A
Aman W
It mentions the Indian plate as a cause of seismic pressure there. Makes you think about the immense geological forces at play beneath our feet. Our Himalayas are a direct result of that plate movement. Nature doesn't care for political lines.
S
Sarah B
While the human cost is undeniably tragic, I wish the article spent a few lines on the current response mechanisms or relief efforts, if any were needed for this particular quake. Reporting just the event feels incomplete.
K
Karthik V
Xinjiang seems to get frequent quakes. Hope the infrastructure there is built to withstand these shocks. The data about 7 million rooms destroyed historically is mind-boggling. Reconstruction must be a continuous process. We need to learn from this for our own earthquake-prone cities like Delhi and Guwahati.
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Nikhil C
The National Center for Seismology data is precise. Good to see scientific reporting. The comparison with the December 6.2 quake puts things in perspective. A major challenge in peaceful times, as the expert says. True for the whole subcontinent.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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