HAIXI PREFECTURE, China — A powerful and shallow 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Haixi Prefecture in Northwest China's Qinghai Province on Tuesday afternoon, June 16, 2026. The severe tremor triggered emergency monitoring protocols across the mountainous region.

The earthquake occurred at exactly 5:06 PM local Beijing Time (09:06 UTC). According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the epicenter was monitored at 37.80 degrees north latitude and 95.56 degrees east longitude.

Both the CENC and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that the quake struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Shallow earthquakes typically result in more intense surface shaking compared to deeper seismic events. The USGS located the epicenter approximately 260 kilometers south-southeast of Dunhuang, a historic city in the neighboring Gansu province.

The massive tremor jolted Haixi Prefecture, a vast area known for its rugged, high-altitude terrain. Due to the magnitude and shallow nature of the quake, strong shaking was felt across local townships.

The affected region is characterized by mountainous plateaus and a lower population density compared to China's coastal provinces. In response to the tremor, local emergency management bureaus immediately launched situational assessments to check for structural damages to critical infrastructure, housing, and regional transportation links.

Northwest China is historically prone to significant seismic activity due to the tectonic forces of the Eurasian and Indian plates colliding, forming the Tibetan Plateau. Qinghai Province has previously suffered devastating earthquakes, keeping local emergency services highly sensitized to early tremor reports.

As of Tuesday evening, Chinese state media and local authorities have not reported any immediate casualties or severe structural collapses. Emergency personnel remain on standby to monitor for potential aftershocks that frequently follow shallow quakes of this scale.