Magnitude 8 earthquake that struck Kunming in Yunnan, China on September 6, 1833
The 1833 Kunming earthquake remains the largest recorded earthquake in Yunnan's history, killing over 6,000 people and displacing 80,000.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 8.0 Mw
- Date
- September 6, 1833
- Deaths
- More than 6,000 people
- Displaced
- 80,000 people
- Epicenter
- Xiaojiang Fault, near Songming
- Distance from Kunming center
- ~50 km northeast
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The earthquake originated along the Xiaojiang Fault, a seismically active geological structure located approximately 50 km northeast of Kunming near the town of Songming, in Yunnan province, China. Fault rupture along this zone generated the seismic energy responsible for the disaster.
On September 6, 1833, an 8.0 Mw earthquake struck the provincial capital Kunming and its surrounding countryside. The shaking destroyed mosques, homes, and other buildings across the region, killing more than 6,000 people and displacing approximately 80,000 others.
In the aftermath, the local governor organized relief efforts for the affected population and used the crisis as an opportunity to consolidate administrative authority in the province. The earthquake has since been recognized as the largest magnitude seismic event in Yunnan's recorded history.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 6,000 (earthquake)