Local annals (which date to 1177 bce) place the epicentre of the earthquake around Huaxian in Shaanxi. [1] The accompanying property damage would have been incalculable—an entire region of inner China had been destroyed and an estimated 60% of the region's population died. The earthquake (estimated at magnitude 8) struck Shaanxi and neighbouring Shanxi province to the east early on Jan. 23, 1556, killing or injuring an estimated 830,000 people. "[13] The shaking reduced the height of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an by three levels. The 1556 earthquake took place in Shaanxi province, formerly known as Senshi. Aerial photo taken on April 24, 2018 shows the Dongli Village which was reconstructed with the assistance of Tianjin Municipality in Ningqiang County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. In certain areas, 20-metre-deep (66 ft) crevices opened in the earth. In other areas, a stream burst out in an instant, or the ground broke and new gullies appeared. The earthquake magnitudes were Mw = 7.9 (USGS), Ms = 8.0 (Chinese Earthquake Administration). The earthquake hit a quake-prone region where four underground tectonic plates come together. The May 12, 2008, Great Sichuan Earthquake, also called the Wenchuan Earthquake, occurred at 14:28 local time, in Sichuan Province, China. [15][better source needed], The Portuguese Dominican friar Gaspar da Cruz, who visited Guangzhou later in 1556, heard about the earthquake, and later reported about it in the last chapter of his book A Treatise of China (1569). In Huaxian, every single building and home was demolished, killing more than half the residents of the city, with a death toll estimated in the hundreds of thousands. The Shaanxi earthquake's epicenter was in the Wei River Valley in Shaanxi Province, near Huaxian (now Huazhou District of Weinan), Weinan and Huayin. [1990] (1990). 1556 – The deadliest earthquake in history, the Shaanxi earthquake, hits Shaanxi province, China. In Huaxian, every single building and home was demolished, killing more than half the residents of the city, with a … 6.0-mag earthquake rocks southwestern China, kills at least 12, injures dozens, officials say [11], The earthquake damaged many of the Forest of Stone steles badly. The Shaanxi earthquake of 1556 was the deadliest ever experienced anywhere in the world. This massive death toll is thought to have reduced the population of the two provinces by about 60 percent. This was the major contributing factor to the very high death toll. Early in the morning of January 23rd, 1556, Ming Dynasty China was rocked by a massive earthquake that was epicentered in the Wei River Valley’s Huazhou District, in northern China’s Shaanxi Province. Omissions? In 1556, a huge population lived there in underground homes and many were killed by this, the world’s deadliest earthquake. The epicenter was 80 km west-northwest of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province. Following the earthquake, aftershocks continued several times a month for half a year.[10]. [9], Modern estimates, based on geological data, give the earthquake a magnitude of approximately 8 Mw on the moment magnitude scale and XI (catastrophic damage) on the Mercalli scale, though more recent discoveries have shown that it was more likely 7.9 Mw. Ningqiang County was hit by a devastating earthquake which centered in Wenchuan County in southwestern China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008. One conclusion he drew was that "at the very beginning of an earthquake, people indoors should not go out immediately. Shaanxi, China has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours 0 earthquakes in the past 7 days; 1 earthquake in the past 30 days; 3 earthquakes in the past 365 days [12], The scholar Qin Keda lived through the earthquake and recorded details. The earthquake (estimated at magnitude 8) struck Shaanxi and neighbouring Shanxi province to the east early on Jan. 23, 1556, killing or injuring an estimated 830,000 people. The soft loess clay formed over thousands of years due to wind blowing silt into the area from the Gobi Desert. International Association of Engineering Geology International Congress. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Fandom Apps Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Although, the earth has witnessed more intense earthquake than Shaanxi earthquake it was the most … Counting casualties is … Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Four people were killed and another 24 injured when an earthquake shook southwestern China, local authorities said Tuesday. 1879 – Sydney Greenstreet, Sandwich England, actor (Maltese Falcon) 1883 – Cyrus S. Eaton, Canadian-American financier, industrialist and philanthropist (d. 1979) 1892 – Alfred Edwin McKay, Canadian World War One flying ace (d. 1917) 1896 – Louis Bromfield, Mansfield Ohio, writer (Early Autumn, Pulitzer-1926) [15][better source needed], The cost of damage done by the earthquake is almost impossible to measure in modern terms. Background Information: The earthquake occured in the Shaanxi region of China in 1556. Mountains and rivers changed places and roads were destroyed. Many of the casualties in the quake were people who had been crushed by falling buildings. At 3:42 a.m., an earthquake measuring between 7.8 and 8.2 magnitude on the Richter scale flattens Tangshan, a Chinese industrial city with a population of about [1] While it was the deadliest earthquake and the third-deadliest natural disaster in history, there have been earthquakes with considerably higher magnitudes. Updates? Originally 147 feet (45 metres) high, the structure currently stands 141 feet (43 metres) high after being damaged in the Shaanxi province earthquake of 1556. By Dan Fletcher Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 The deadliest quake of all time might be one of the least talked about, considering it occurred nearly 450 years ago. The Shaanxi earthquake's epicenter was in the Wei River Valley in Shaanxi Province, near Huaxian (now Huazhou District of Weinan), Weinan and Huayin. 1879 – Sydney Greenstreet was born (d. 1954). It is predicted that the earthquake scored 8.0 score on Richter scale.. On January 23, 1556, the earthquake hit Shaanxi and took the life of 830,000 people.. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake or Jiajing earthquake is the deadliest earthquake on record, killing approximately 830,000 people.. In some places, the ground suddenly rose up and formed new hills, or it sank abruptly and became new valleys. The death toll, however, has been traditionally given as 820,000 to 830,000. Renfield’s New Image. Corrections? This quotation is from a translation of a Chinese study of historical earthquake. The death toll may have been as high as 830,000. My Veiling. Even if the nest has collapsed, some eggs may remain intact. This massive death toll is thought to have reduced the population of the two provinces by about 60 percent. The resultant damage, across a region stretching for hundreds of miles, was … The death toll may have been as high as 830,000. In Huaxian, every single building and home was demolished, killing more than half the residents of the city, with a death toll estimated in the hundreds of thousands. He viewed the earthquake as a possible punishment for people's sins, and the Great Comet of 1556 as, possibly, the sign of this calamity (as well as perhaps the sign of the birth of the Antichrist). In today’s map, the disaster would have taken place 50 miles northeast of Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda, whose top fell during the 1556 earthquake. New tsunami simulations show which parts of Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay could see severe flooding from a magnitude 9 earthquake off the coast. The rupture occurred during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming dynasty. 1994 – 6.6 Earthquake hits Los Angeles killing 60, $30B in damage. It occurred on the morning of 23 January 1556 in Shaanxi, China. Early in the morning of January 23rd, 1556, Ming Dynasty China was rocked by a massive earthquake that was epicentered in the Wei River Valley’s Huazhou District, in northern China’s Shaanxi … This quake affected the Ming Dynasty but is still known as the deadliest and most dangerous earthquake of all time. A powerful earthquake struck central and southwestern Mexico early today, devastating parts of this city and three coastal states. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake or Huaxian earthquake was a catastrophic earthquake and is also the deadliest earthquake on record. More than 97 counties in the provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Anhui were affected. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The shallow quake in Qiaojia county struck late Monday evening, the Yunnan government said on its social media account. Though the quake lasted only seconds, it leveled mountains, altered the path of rivers, caused massive flooding, and ignited fires that burned for days. D&D Beyond 4.2 magnitude earthquake 1986-11-17 08:40:32 UTC at 08:40 November 17, 1986 UTC Location: Epicenter at 35.235, 110.993 23.2 km from Yuncheng (14.2 miles) The Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, China. The earthquake collapsed many caves and caused landslides, which destroyed many more. Click on an arrow at edge or corner of above map to go to an adjacent map. Buildings were damaged slightly in the cities of Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai. [8] The local records indicate that, in addition to inspiring searches for the causes of earthquakes, this particular quake led the people in the region affected to search for ways to minimize the damage caused by such disasters. Loess is the silty soil that windstorms have deposited on the plateau over the ages. Shake your way into this quiz. In the annals of China it was described in this manner: In the winter of 1556, an earthquake catastrophe occurred in the Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces. Loess is a highly erosion-prone soil that is susceptible to the forces of wind and water. The situation in Weinan and Huayin was similar. Browse 1556 shaanxi earthquake pictures, photos, images, GIFs, and videos on Photobucket In our Hua County, various misfortunes took place. Video clips on China's Twitter-like platform Weibo showed shoppers taking cover in a store as boxes flew off the shelves, while students in a … Therefore, in the Chinese historical record, this earthquake is often referred to as the Jiajing Great earthquake. The quake disrupted travel, … It occurred on the morning of 23 January 1556 in Shaanxi, during the Ming dynasty. All 26 of the earthquakes recorded in the annals had epicentres in this basin. [7] Most of the population in the area at the time lived in yaodongs, artificial caves in loess cliffs; these collapsed in great numbers, causing many casualties. The earthquake caused ground fissures, uplift, subsidence, sandblows, liquefaction and landslides. The deadliest quake Professor Iain Stewart tells the story of the 23 January 1556 Shaanxi earthquake in central China, which is estimated to have killed nearly one million people. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake happened off the coast of Baja this morning, near Cabo San Lucas. [16], Magnitude 8 Earthquake (23 January 1556) in Shaanxi, China; regarded as deadliest earthquake in recorded history, Map of China showing modern-day Shaanxi province (red) and the other provinces affected by the earthquake (orange). Thus, in the aftermath of the 1556 quake, many of the stone buildings that had been leveled were replaced with buildings made of softer, more earthquake-resistant materials, such as bamboo and wood. In the past 35 years, there have been at least seven magnitude 7 … The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake is associated with three major faults, which form the boundaries of the Wei River basin. The Shaanxi earthquake or Hua County Earthquake is the deadliest earthquake on record, killing approximately 830,000 people. Interested in testing your earthquake knowledge? Portuguese politician. More than 830,000 people lost their lives on that fateful day to the magnitude 8 earthquake, with damages extending up to 270 miles northeast of the epicenter. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake, or Huaxian earthquake (simplified Chinese: 华县大地震; traditional Chinese: 華縣大地震; pinyin: Huáxiàn Dàdìzhèn), or Jiajing earthquake (Chinese: 嘉靖大地震; pinyin: Jiājìng Dàdìzhèn), is the deadliest earthquake in recorded history. ( which date to 1177 bce ) place the epicentre of the Jiajing Emperor of Forest. Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an by three levels or it sank abruptly became... 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