A shallow M5.2 earthquake struck Liunan District in Liuzhou, Guangxi, at 16:21 UTC on May 17, 2026, killing 2 people, injuring 4, collapsing at least 13 buildings, and prompting the evacuation of more than 7 000 residents.
A rare tornado struck Yongfu Town in Zhangping, China’s Fujian Province, on the afternoon of May 12, 2026, damaging dozens of flower nurseries and greenhouses in the area.
Torrential rainfall inundated urban districts in Qinzhou, Guangxi, southern China, on April 27, 2026, forcing more than 200 residents to evacuate after streets turned into fast-moving channels and floodwaters spread into residential areas. A reported 538 mm (21.1 inches) of rain fell in 12 hours across Qinzhou and Beihai, with peak 1-hour rainfall reaching 147.7 mm (5.8 inches).
Heavy rainfall and strong convective weather affected southern China on March 29–30, with severe thunderstorms, hail, and wind gusts exceeding 110 km/h (70 mph) reported in Guangdong and surrounding regions. According to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), further heavy rain and strong convection will continue from the evening of March 30 through March 31, with rainfall totals of 50–70 mm (2–3 inches), locally exceeding 100 mm (4 inches).
A large-scale sandstorm affected southern Xinjiang, China, on March 13, 2026, as strong winds associated with a regional cold wave mobilized desert dust across the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert.
Northern China experienced widespread snowfall on March 1, 2026, with snow cover exceeding 250 000 km² (96 525 mi²) and a maximum snow depth of 23 cm (9 inches). The event prompted emergency responses across several provinces, including Hebei, Shanxi, and Gansu, according to official reports.
A bright fireball was observed over western China at around 21:00 UTC on February 5, 2026, with sightings reported across Yunnan, Sichuan, and Qinghai. Videos and eyewitness accounts show a fast-moving, luminous streak crossing the predawn sky, ending in a bright terminal flash.
A sudden ice flood occurred on January 5, 2026, in the Kanas Scenic Area of Xinjiang, China, sending large ice blocks rushing downstream in the Kanas River. The short-lived event was captured on video and later described by local authorities as a localized “ice flood” caused by ice breakup due to warmer temperatures.
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.8 struck southern Xinjiang, China at 07:44 UTC (13:44 local time) on December 4, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and a Yellow alert for economic losses.
China launched the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft at 04:11 UTC on November 25, 2025, to restore a safe return option for the three-member Tiangong space station crew, after debris damage earlier in the month rendered their original Shenzhou-20 return module unusable. The previous crew returned using the Shenzhou-21 arrival vehicle, leaving the current crew without an evacuation craft until Shenzhou-22’s launch. The astronauts remain in stable condition as docking procedures proceed.
