After an initial period of shock, the survivors began to dig through debris to answer the muffled calls for help as well as find loved ones still under rubble. It is the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. Though 80% of the people trapped under rubble were saved, a 7.1 magnitude aftershock that hit on the afternoon of July 28 sealed the fate for many who had been waiting under the rubble for help. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. With so much damage, recovery was not easy. The quake leveled almost every building and flooded the mines. Jan 9, 2012 As mentioned earlier, the earthquake struck just before 4 am, when many people were asleep and unprepared. Between 1970 and 1976, the Chinese government reported predicting nine earthquakes. As mentioned earlier, the earthquake struck just before 4 am, when many people were asleep and unprepared. But nature gave additional warnings. Recognizing that, in the wake of the successful earthquake predictions at Haicheng the previous year, Mao's government touted its ability to predict and then respond to natural disasters. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Indeed. … When an earthquake of historic magnitude leveled the industrial city of Tangshan in the summer of 1976, killing more than a half-million people, China was already gripped by widespread social unrest. Tsunamis and fires have contributed to some of the largest death tolls in earthquakes. Along with infrastructure damage, there were devastating amounts of casualties. Since few buildings were anchored to bedrock, the shaking and subsequent liquefaction of the soil destabilized and brought down most of the structures throughout the affected area. No casualties or serious damage were reported as of Sunday night after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit Tangshan, Hebei province, at 6:38 am, the city's publicity department said. Especially for Tangshan, the corresponding numbers are respectively 148,022, 81,630, and 2652. If the estimates other than official accounts are anything close to the truth, this earthquake would be among the top three most devastating earthquakes ever recorded. Many experts have since suggested that the official loss of life was underestimated, that it is likely that closer to 700,000 people died. These were isolated incidents, spread across a city of a million people and a countryside scattered with villages. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Introduction. In another village, gas began to spout out the water well on July 12 and then increased on July 25 and 26. Some people saw flashes of light; others witnessed fireballs flying across the sky. Loud, roaring noises followed the lights and fireballs. Estimates of the number of deaths due to the Tangshan earthquake have varied widely, and generally lack a clear authoritative basis. At 3:42 am on July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Tangshan, an industrial city of 1 million people in northern China. It also triggered sand blows throughout the region, which silted wells and irrigation ditches. Before the earthquake, the total population of Tangshan city was approximately 1.2 million, with 2 million within 40 km (25 mi) of the epicenter. Estimates of the number of deaths due to the Tangshan earthquake have varied widely, and generally lack a clear authoritative basis. Location: Haiti | Death Toll: 316,000. 1920 Haiyuan Earthquake is the third deadliest earthquake with most deaths in the history. Many of the medical personnel were also trapped under debris or killed by the earthquake. At least 700,000 more people were injured, and property damage was extensive, reaching even to Beijing. Many people drank out of pools or other locations that had become contaminated during the earthquake. The initial death count reported by the Chinese government put the casualties at 655,000, but this number was later reduced to around 240,000 to 255,000. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. … The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, killing 21, making 25 April 2015 the deadliest day on … Some food was parachuted in, but the distribution was uneven. Some scholars believe that the Tangshan earthquake contributed to its downfall. …was devastated by a giant earthquake. Relief workers eventually got water trucks and others to transport clean drinking water into the affected areas. It makes the Tangshan shock, which registered between 7.8 and 8.2 on the Richter scale, officially far worse than the 1923 Tokyo earthquake in which … Some observers place the actual toll as high as 700,000. Before the 1976 earthquake, scientists didn't think Tangshan was susceptible to a large earthquake; thus, the area was zoned an intensity level of VI on the Chinese intensity scale (similar to the Mercalli scale). At 3:42 a.m. on July 28, 1976, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the sleeping city of Tangshan, in northeastern China. Additional research has also been focused on anomalous animal behaviors ahead of earthquakes, which have been widely documented. Tangshan was not predicted, and the size of the disaster made the response slow and difficult—a process significantly hindered by Mao's complete rejection of foreign aid. Updates? CHINA - Tangshan Earthquake of July 28,1976. South of Tangshan, where liquefaction was the highest, the tremendous outpouring of sand caused significant damage to crops. Strange? Corrections? As Mao lay on his deathbed, the public mourned the death of popular premier Zhou Enlai. 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