It killed around 830,000 people, making it the worst earthquake in human history by number of deaths. More than 97 counties in the provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Anhui were affected. The earthquake destroyed a 840-kilometre-wide (520 mi) area.

What are some interesting facts about the Shaanxi earthquake?

It killed around 830,000 people, making it the worst earthquake in human history by number of deaths. More than 97 counties in the provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Anhui were affected. The earthquake destroyed a 840-kilometre-wide (520 mi) area.

What caused the Shaanxi China earthquake?

The earthquakes in Sichuan ultimately result from the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, according to the USGS. As India drives northward into Asia, it forces the Tibetan Plateau out of its way, eastward into China. The geologic setting of the Sichuan Basin also worsens earthquake damage.

What is the deadliest earthquake in China?

On January 23, 1556, an earthquake in Shaanxi, China, kills an estimated 830,000 people. Counting casualties is often imprecise after large-scale disasters, especially prior to the 20th century, but this disaster is still considered the deadliest of all time.

How long did the Shaanxi earthquake last for?

The earthquake—which has been known variously as the Jiajing Earthquake because it happened during Emperor Jiajing’s reign, the Chinese Earthquake, and most commonly the Shaanxi Earthquake—only lasted a few seconds, but aftershocks continued for about six months after the initial quake.

When was the last time China had an earthquake?

Sichuan earthquake of 2008, also called Wenchuan earthquake or Great Wenchuan Earthquake, Chinese Wenchuan dizhen or Wenchuan Da Dizhen, massive and enormously devastating earthquake that occurred in the mountainous central region of Sichuan province in southwestern China on May 12, 2008.

How did the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake affect the environment?

Though the quake lasted only seconds, it leveled mountains, altered the path of rivers, caused massive flooding, and ignited fires that burned for days.

Why did the 1556 earthquake happen?

The loess represents the fine-grained soil eroded from the Gobi desert to the north and west and deposited by wind on the great loess plateau of central China. Thus, this disaster was triggered by an earthquake but mass-wasting processes were actually responsible for most of the casualties.

What happened in the 1556 earthquake?

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. This massive death toll is thought to have reduced the population of the two provinces by about 60 percent.

When did the Shaanxi China earthquake happen?

Jan. 23, 1556
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. This massive death toll is thought to have reduced the population of the two provinces by about 60 percent.

How many earthquakes have happened in China?

800 earthquakes
China — a Country of Many Earthquakes Ever since we entered the 20th century, more than 800 earthquakes of more than magnitude 6 have happened in China. Earthquakes have happened in almost all the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions except in Guizhou, Zhejiang and Hong Kong.

How many people died in the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake?

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.

What was the worst earthquake in China in history?

Shaanxi province earthquake of 1556. Written By: Shaanxi province earthquake of 1556, (Jan. 23, 1556), massive earthquake in Shaanxi province in northern China, believed to be the deadliest earthquake ever recorded.

Where did the Shaanxi earthquake happen?

It happened in the northern interior of China not far from the city of Xi’an. It measured more than 8 on our scale of earthquake strength, damaged parts of ten neighboring provinces in addition to the Shaanxi one, and was so strong that half of China felt its impact. Aftershocks continued intermittently for six months.

What happened in the year 1556 in China?

This happened on the morning of January 2, 1556, in the Ming Empire of Shaanxi Province. More than 97 provinces were affected: Shanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Gansu, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, Hunan, Jianshu, and Anhui.