Beijing - A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the high-altitude Haixi Prefecture in China's northwestern Qinghai Province on Tuesday, 17 June 2026 afternoon, killing at least one person and injuring four others as rescuers have been racing to the sparsely populated area to search for trapped survivors and assess the risk of secondary disasters.
The quake hit at 5:06 p.m. Beijing time with the center was at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre. State media reported that all workers at coal mines near the epicentre had been evacuated, with authorities still assessing casualties and property damage.
Some 320 personnel were deployed for the search operation, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Initial checks found that transport, communication, water, and power lines within 50 kilometres of the epicentre were operating normally, local newspaper Qinghai Daily reported.
China's earthquake response agency activated its emergency plan following the main shock. The quake was followed by multiple aftershocks, including one measuring magnitude 4.9, according to state media.
The epicentre was near Da Qaidam, home to the mineral-rich Emerald Lake, a popular stop along the Qinghai-Gansu tourist route. The area is also the site of numerous mining and salt companies, with the surrounding region containing extensive salt lake deposits.
Xinhua News Agency reported that rescue teams rushed to the site to search for people trapped under debris and to assess risks including landslides and structural collapses. China's National Disaster Relief Commission has not yet issued an official damage estimate.
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According to seismologists, the earthquake was the strongest to hit this part of China in over 17 years. The area has recorded at least three earthquakes above magnitude 6 since 2000, though tremors of this size occur on average only once every five to ten years in the region. The strongest earthquake ever recorded near the epicentre measured magnitude 7.8, which struck Gansu Province in December 1932.
Qinghai Province, which sits on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, is one of China's most seismically active regions. Its vast, thinly settled terrain often complicates search and rescue operations, as access roads to remote communities can be cut off by landslides triggered by strong tremors.
Authorities urged residents to remain cautious as aftershocks may continue, advising people to stay away from damaged structures and to follow official instructions. Emergency response teams remained active in the region as damage assessments continued.
