Magnitude 3.8 earthquake strikes Gaoxian in Sichuan's Yibin at depth of 5 km
In short
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck near Gaoxian county in Yibin, Sichuan province, at 01:19 local time on October 5, 2026, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center's formal determination cited by Jiemian. The quake had a focal depth of 5 kilometres. The reports gave no information on casualties or damage.
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A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck near Gaoxian county in Yibin, Sichuan province, at 01:19 local time on October 5, 2026, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center's formal determination cited by Jiemian. The centre put the focal depth at 5 kilometres and the epicentre at 28.54 degrees north and 104.65 degrees east. Yicai also reported the magnitude 3.8 figure and the 5-kilometre depth. [ 2 , 3 ]
CLS published first, at 01:21 local time, citing the centre's automatic determination, which measured the quake at about magnitude 3.7 near 28.56 degrees north and 104.66 degrees east, and noted that the final result would be subject to the formal report. The later formal determination gave the slightly higher magnitude of 3.8 and marginally different coordinates. None of the three reports mentioned casualties, damage or any emergency response. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The reports are short and limited to seismic data from business outlets, giving no account of impact on people or buildings. With a magnitude of 3.8 and a shallow depth of 5 kilometres, the event is the kind of minor quake that is recorded and published routinely in the region; the documents provide no basis for assessing consequences beyond the readings themselves.
Key facts
- The earthquake occurred at 01:19 local time on October 5, 2026, near Gaoxian county in Yibin, Sichuan province. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The China Earthquake Networks Center's formal determination put the magnitude at 3.8. [ 2 ]
- The focal depth was 5 kilometres. [ 2 , 3 ]
- An earlier automatic determination cited by CLS measured the quake at about magnitude 3.7 and said the final result would be subject to the formal report. [ 1 ]
- Jiemian placed the epicentre at 28.54 degrees north and 104.65 degrees east; the automatic reading cited by CLS gave 28.56 degrees north and 104.66 degrees east. [ 1 , 2 ]
- None of the reports mentioned casualties, damage or emergency response. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the earthquake caused any casualties or damage. The documents report seismic data only and do not mention impact on people, buildings or infrastructure.
- The exact magnitude, given as 3.8 in the formal determination and about 3.7 in the earlier automatic reading. CLS cited the automatic measurement and said the final result would be subject to the formal report; the formal figure reported later was 3.8.
- The exact epicentre coordinates. The automatic reading and the formal determination give slightly different coordinates, and the documents do not explain the difference.
- The magnitude figure came from the China Earthquake Networks Center's formal determination. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- A magnitude 3.8 earthquake strikes near Gaoxian county, Yibin, Sichuan, at a depth of 5 kilometres, per the China Earthquake Networks Center's formal determination. [ 1 , 2 ]
- CLS publishes a report citing the centre's automatic determination of about magnitude 3.7, saying the final result is subject to the formal report. [ 1 ]
- Jiemian publishes the formal determination: magnitude 3.8, depth 5 kilometres. [ 2 ]
- Yicai publishes a headline report on the magnitude 3.8 quake at a depth of 5 kilometres. [ 3 ]