- The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake, was a catastrophic natural disaster that occurred on 23 January 1556 in Shaanxi, China. With an estimated magnitude of 8.0–8.3 on the moment magnitude scale, it is the deadliest earthquake to have occurred in the historical record.
- It is believed to be the third-highest of the world's largest earthquakes in the past ten centuries. The main shock was accompanied by four large aftershocks measuring about 6 to 7 on the Richter scale.
Cause
- Although the exact cause is unknown, the Chinese historical earthquake catalogue indicates that the 1556 earthquake was caused by the rupture of a blind thrust fault on the boundary of the Eurasian Plate and the Yangtze Plate.
Effects
- The earthquake caused major damage to the city of Xi'an and the surrounding areas. The city was almost entirely destroyed, with only about 1% of the buildings remaining intact.
- The earthquake killed between 830,000 and 1,000,000 people, making it the deadliest earthquake in human history.
- The earthquake also caused significant damage to the environment. It triggered landslides, collapsed tunnels and roads and caused widespread flooding.
- The aftermath of the earthquake was devastating, with tens of thousands of people killed and millions left homeless.
- Famine and disease then led to a further loss of life.