Earthquakes are undoubtedly one of those natural phenomena that no one can predict and everyone is afraid, because there is literally nothing one can do to prevent them. In addition to properly preparing and through engineering to build buildings with strong foundations to reduce the impact of possible, at least, catastrophic earthquakes. Which, however, was not the case in 1556, when the most catastrophic occurred earthquake in the history of mankind.
Regardless of the clever defense of humanity, however, some earthquakes can not be dealt with. In 1556, for example, before the introduction of certain engineering wonders into people’s daily lives, the earthquake with the highest number of deaths in human history struck the Chinese province of Shaanxi, reports grunge.com.
According to Britannica, this catastrophic event took place on January 23, 1556. Although the area had suffered many strong earthquakes before – 26 more were reported in local reports – this rather unknown but tragic earthquake was the strongest of all, compared to any other. Between Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, an estimated 830,000 people were killed in the quake, many of whom were devastated by the collapse of buildings as huge tremors shook the area.
According to the World Atlas, in fact, the death toll from the earthquake was so high that about 60% of the population of the province and the surrounding area were killed, while an area of 840 km was literally leveled. Much of the province’s population lived in artificial caves called yaodongs built on hills or in the ground, resulting in instant loss of life.
It is worth mentioning that the China was also the victim of the second deadliest earthquake in human history. This time the province of Ninjia in December 1920. About 273,400 lives were lost that tragic day in a catastrophic earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. However, the quake in Shaanxi was several times more devastating in terms of deaths and is estimated to have reached 8 on the Richter scale.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
