What was the Great Tangshan earthquake?
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Tangshan, China on July 28, 1976, killed at least 242,000 people (the official death count). Some observers place the actual toll as high as 700,000. The Great Tangshan Earthquake also rocked the seat of Chinese Communist Party power in Beijing - both literally and politically.
How many people died in the Tangshan disaster?
Another Chinese source states (without citing any sources) that the 1556 earthquake killed only about 100,000 directly, with another 700,000 dying of disease. Depending on what basis is used, the Tangshan disaster can thus be considered as approximately one-third, one-half, or twice as deadly as the Shaanxi disaster.
How many people died in the Haicheng earthquake?
The remarkably low death toll of the Haicheng earthquake the previous year – initially said to be fewer than 300, much later estimated at a still very modest 2,041 – had been credited to measures taken in response to an accurate and timely prediction.
How many people died in the Tiananmen Square earthquake?
A 1988 book by several members of the Chinese State Seismological Bureau states that 242,419 people died in the quake, which reflects the official figure reported by the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
How many people died in the 1976 earthquake?
242,7691976 Tangshan earthquake / Number of deaths
How long did the 1976 China earthquake last?
The entire earthquake lasted approximately 14 to 16 seconds.
How much money did the Tangshan earthquake cause?
Economic losses were estimated to be about 10 billion yuan, but Tianjin city alone suffered about 7.5 billion Y in direct and indirect damages, therefore even this figure is probably inaccurate.
Has there ever been a 10.0 earthquake?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. That is, the longer the fault, the larger the earthquake.
What was the worst earthquake in history?
Also known as the Great Chilean earthquake (Spanish: Gran terremoto de Chile), it was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. The earthquake hit on May 22 in the afternoon (19:11 GMT, 15:11 local time), approximately 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Chile, parallel to the city of Valdivia.
Why was the Tangshan earthquake so bad?
The damage was particularly catastrophic because the quake originated directly under a city with a population of over a million, presumably the first time this has occurred. Of the 352 multistory brick buildings in Tangshan, 117 collapsed completely, 85 collapsed in part and 99 were severely damaged.
How long did shaking last during Tangshan earthquake?
In the city of Tangshan the intensity reached X (extreme). The shaking, which lasted 14 to 16 seconds, transformed much of the region's exceptionally deep sandy soil into a fluidlike mass (liquefaction).
When was the biggest earthquake in China?
The most powerful Sichuan earthquake on record was in May 2008, when a magnitude 8.0 quake centred in Wenchuan killed almost 70,000 people and caused extensive damage.
What happened after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake?
Most of the houses and buildings were destroyed; there was no electric power, no running water, no functioning sewers, no gas, no telephone communication, no functioning city government, no highway traffic or railway traffic into the city.
Why did the 1976 Tangshan earthquake happen?
The Tangshan earthquake happened due to a convergent boundary of two major plates. “The Tangshan earthquake occurred due to tectonic forces generated by the Amurian tectonic plate interacting with the Eurasian tectonic plate.
How long did the 1980 Italy earthquake last?
On the evening of November 23rd 1980, a devastating earthquake hit southern Italy claiming almost 3,000 lives. tI lasted no more than a minute, but it changed the area forever.
Did the Tangshan earthquake cause a tsunami?
Worse of all was the 1976 Tangshan earthquake in the Hebei Province, a year after the Haicheng event. The earthquake of July 18, 1969 in the middle of the Bohai Sea, reportedly generated a tsunami with a height above normal tide level ranging from 1~2 m.
What year was the Tangshan earthquake?
242,419. The 1976 Tangshan earthquake ( Chinese: 唐山大地震; pinyin: Tángshān dà dìzhèn; lit. 'Great Tangshan earthquake'), also known as the Great Tangshan earthquake, was a natural disaster resulting from a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that hit the region around Tangshan, Hebei, People's Republic of China on 28 July 1976, at 3:42 in the morning.
What was the maximum intensity of the Tangshan earthquake?
The maximum intensity of the earthquake was XI ( Extreme) on the Mercali scale. In minutes, eighty-five percent of the buildings in Tangshan collapsed or were unusable, all services failed, and most of the highway and railway bridges collapsed or were seriously damaged.
What is the name of the railway that runs from Tianjin to Tanggu?
The Beijing–Shanhaiguan Railway (built in 1887) is a double-track Class I trunk line that runs from Beijing southeast to Tianjin and Tanggu, then turns northeast to cross the Yongdingxin River and its estuary to run to Ninghe and then Tangshan. From Tangshan it continues northeast and then east to Chengli, and then to Qinhuangdao and Shanhaiguan. This is the principal connection of Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan to the seaports, and to Northeast China. The Tongxian to Tuozitou (within modern-day Luan County) Railway (built in 1976) is a single-track Class I trunk line that runs east from the eastern outskirts of Beijing to where it meets the Beijing to Shanhaiguan line northeast of Tangshan (near the epicenter of the M 7.1 quake). All of this was built "with no consideration for earthquake resistant design", although some "earthquake resistance measures" for large and medium bridges were applied following the 1975 Haicheng earthquake .
How did the earthquake affect the railways?
These vital arteries (and other railways and branch lines) were seriously damaged by the earthquakes, mainly in the areas of intensity IX or greater shaking. (This includes a large area around Tangshan quake, and areas around Ninghe and Luanhsien following the M 6.9 and M 7.4 aftershocks.) At the time of the main quake there were 28 freight trains and seven passenger trains traveling on the Beijing–Shanhaiguan line in the affected area; seven freight trains and two passenger trains derailed due to derangement of the rails, mostly south of Tangshan where the line was built on loose alluvium, diluvium, and occasional stretches of loose sand. In many of these cases – and also similar cases northeast of Tangshan, and on the Tongxian–Tuozitou line east of Fengrun – the railway embankment slumped due to weak soils. In other cases the embankment held, but transverse compression of the rails caused them to buckle.
Where is the Tongxian to Tuozitou line?
The Tongxian to Tuozitou (within modern-day Luan County) Railway (built in 1976) is a single-track Class I trunk line that runs east from the eastern outskirts of Beijing to where it meets the Beijing to Shanhaiguan line northeast of Tangshan (near the epicenter of the M 7.1 quake).
How did the 1975 earthquake affect China?
The 1975 Haicheng earthquake (about 400 km [250 miles] northeast of Tangshan) was widely hailed as the first (and, by mainstream seismologists, the only) successful prediction of a major earthquake, demonstrating both that earthquakes could be predicted, and that the Chinese were successfully doing so. The surprisingly light death toll – initial reports were of "very few people killed", but later determined to be a modest 2,041 —for this magnitude Ms 7.5 quake, attributed to the precautionary measures taken following a definite short-term prediction, was proclaimed as a demonstration of the superiority of China's socialist system, and incidentally a validation of the Chinese methodologies. However, it was later determined that the most important factor in anticipating the Haicheng earthquake was the extended series of significant foreshocks ("powerful messages from nature" ), and the low casualty rate was due largely to the time of day, hitting in the early evening when most people were neither at work nor asleep.
What are the factors that affect earthquakes?
First, the intensity of shaking, which depends mainly on the magnitude of the earthquake rupture, the distance from the epicenter, and the nature of the local soil and topography, with soft soils (e.g., sediments and fill) more likely to amplify the intensity and duration of the shaking. Second, the design and construction of the structures being shaken, with house s built of adobe or stone, wooden houses without a well-built frame, and unreinforced masonry construction being especially vulnerable. The seismic risk had been greatly underestimated and almost all buildings and structures were designed and built without seismic considerations. As a result, Tangshan was "mainly a city of unreinforced brick buildings ", sitting right on top of a major fault line.
How many people died in the 1976 earthquake?
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Tangshan, China on July 28, 1976, killed at least 242,000 people (the official death count). Some observers place the actual toll as high as 700,000. The Great Tangshan Earthquake also rocked the seat of Chinese Communist Party power in Beijing — both literally and politically.
What was the political fallout of the Great Tangshan earthquake?
In many ways, the political repercussions of the Great Tangshan Earthquake were even more significant than the death toll and physical damage. Mao Zedong died on September 9, 1976. He was replaced as Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, not by one of the radical Gang of Four, but by Premiere Hua Guofeng.
What happened on July 28, 1976?
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. The quake leveled about 85% of the buildings in Tangshan, which had been built on the unstable soil of the Luanhe River's flood plain. This alluvial soil liquefied during the quake, undermining entire neighborhoods.
Why did Jiang Qing and the Gang of Four go on the air?
Jiang Qing and the other members of the Gang went on the air to remind the nation that they shouldn't allow the earthquake to distract them from their first priority: to "denounce Deng.".
Why did the Gang of Four denounce Deng?
The Gang of Four rushed to denounce Deng, who had called for reforms to raise the living standards of average Chinese, allow more freedoms of expression and movement, and end the rampant political persecution that was practiced at that time. Mao fired Deng in April of 1976; he was arrested and held incommunicado.
How did the earthquake affect the Cultural Revolution?
In the name of the Communist struggle, the Cultural Revolutionaries destroyed the traditional culture, arts, religion, and knowledge of one of the world's most ancient civilizations.
How far away was Tangshan from Xian?
People as far away as Xian, 470 miles (756 kilometers) from Tangshan, felt the tremors. Hundreds of thousands of people lay dead after the quake, and much more were trapped in the rubble. Coal miners working deep underground in the region perished when the mines collapsed around them.
How many people died in the Tangshan earthquake?
Though the official reported death toll was much lower, it's estimated that the true death toll may be as high as 655,000. It occurred on what is now known as the Tangshan Fault.
When was the Tangshan earthquake?
The decade before this infamous quake, an even more formidable one devastated a Chinese city. Here's the terrible tale of the Tangshan earthquake of 1976.
How long did the Tangshan earthquake last?
It lasted for 23 seconds and leveled 90 percent of Tangshan’s buildings. The earthquake came during the heat of midsummer, and many stunned survivors crawled out of their ruined houses naked, covered only in dust and blood. The earthquake started fires and ignited explosives and poisonous gases in Tangshan’s factories.
When was the earthquake in Tangshan?
The Chinese State Seismological Bureau (SSB) Analysis and Prediction Department was very accurate with the prediction of the earthquake, with an estimate of a major earthquake in the Tangshan region between July 22 and August 5. Despite voicing concerns, the prediction was not taken seriously.
What was the magnitude of the 1976 earthquake?
242,419. 1976 Tangshan earthquake ( Chinese: 唐山大地震) was a natural disaster resulting from a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that hit the region around Tangshan, Hebei, People's Republic of China on 28 July 1976. It lasted for 23 seconds and leveled 90 percent of Tangshan’s buildings.
What happened to Tangshan?
The earthquake started fires and ignited explosives and poisonous gases in Tangshan’s factories. Water and electricity were cut off, and rail and road access to the city was destroyed. At the 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 ...
How many people were left homeless in the earthquake?
More than 160,000 families were left homeless, and more than 4,000 children were orphaned. Another reason why the death toll had increased to an extraordinary amount was because of the aftershocks that took place 16 hours after the first quake.
Where was the epicenter of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake?
The 1976 Tangshan Earthquake occurred at 03:42:56 a.m. on July 28, 1976 (local time). The epicenter was on Jixiang Road, Lunan District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province, China (Figure 1); geographic coordinates is 39.63°N 118.18°E. The focal depth was about 11 km.
Why did China face a mass death toll in 1976?
The 1976 Tangshan earthquake (Chinese: 唐山大地震; pinyin: Tángshān dà dìzhèn; lit. ‘Great Tangshan earthquake’) was a Mw 7.6 earthquake that hit the region around Tangshan, Hebei, China, at 3:42 a.m. on 28 July 1976. The maximum intensity of the earthquake was XI (Extreme) on the Mercalli scale.
Was the Tangshan earthquake predicted?
This may come as a surprise, given the fact that the Haicheng earthquake was successfully predicted by the SSB and is the only official prediction that led to a large-scale evacuation in human Earthquake history, while the Tangshan earthquake was not officially predicted.
What was the damage of the 1976 China earthquake?
In and around Beijing, 140 km (87 mi) from the epicenter, the shaking reached an intensity of VI on the Chinese intensity scale (similar to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale), with nearly 10% of all buildings damaged, and at least 50 fatalities. The economic loss totaled to 10 billion yuan.
Who was affected in the Tangshan earthquake?
Some 100,000 soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were ordered to Tangshan, and many had to march on foot from Jinzhou, a distance of more than 180 miles. Since the Chinese government was ill-prepared for such a disaster, nearly 30,000 medical personnel were called in, along with 30,000 construction workers.
Did the Tangshan China earthquake cause a tsunami?
Worse of all was the 1976 Tangshan earthquake in the Hebei Province, a year after the Haicheng event. The earthquake of July 18, 1969 in the middle of the Bohai Sea, reportedly generated a tsunami with a height above normal tide level ranging from 1~2 m.
Why was the Tangshan earthquake so destructive?
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake was generated by a fault that passed through the city and caused 85% of the buildings to collapse or to be so seriously damaged as to be unusable, and the death toll was enormous. … The railway and highway bridges collapsed so that the city was isolated from the external world.
How did Tangshan recover from the earthquake?
The total population of Tangshan took just 4 years to recover back to the same level as pre-earthquake, this is due to a migrant workers moving to the city for work as there is an abundance of labour jobs rebuilding the city. Figure 5.
What type of earthquake was the Tangshan earthquake?
The 2020 Tangshan earthquake (Chinese: 2020年唐山地震; pinyin: 2020 Nián Tángshān Dìzhèn) was a magnitude 4.7-5.1 earthquake that hit Tangshan, Hebei, China on 12 July 2020, at 6:38 in the morning.
What disasters happened in 1976?
1976 flood was the worst natural disaster to strike Colorado, new study finds
Overview
Death toll
The official report claimed 242,769 deaths and 164,851 serious injuries in Tangshan, but when take into account the "missing", the injured who later died and the deaths in nearby Beijing and Tianjin, scholars accepted at least 300,000 died, making it the deadliest earthquake in China and among the top disasters in China by death toll. Unofficial estimates of the death toll varied widely, and ge…
The earthquakes
The Tangshan earthquake was composed of two main shocks. The first struck at 3:42:56 in the morning (local time), approximately 12 km under the southern part of Tangshan. The magnitude was initially estimated at 8.1, subsequently recalculated to be 7.6 on the standard Mw scale. However, that scale measures only the total energy released by an earthquake, and earthquakes vary in how much of that energy is converted to seismic shaking. The Tangshan quake, being re…
Damage
The damage done by an earthquake depends primarily on two factors. First, the intensity of shaking, which depends mainly on the magnitude of the earthquake rupture, the distance from the epicenter, and the nature of the local soil and topography, with soft soils (e.g., sediments and fill) more likely to amplify the intensity and duration of the shaking. Second, the design and construction of t…
Political aspects
The remarkably low death toll of the Haicheng earthquake the previous year – initially said to be fewer than 300, much later estimated at a still very modest 2,041 – had been credited to measures taken in response to an accurate and timely prediction. This was touted as demonstrating the validity of the Chinese methods of earthquake prediction (including inspiration from "Mao Zedong Thought" ) and "the superiority of our country's socialist system!"
Geology
Tangshan lies at the northern edge of the Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan Plain, an alluvial plain that stretches from Beijing to the Sea of Bohai. This plain – the northeastern corner of the great North China Plain – is where sediments eroded from the Yanshan mountains to the north have filled in the ancient Sea of Bohai, with Tangshan near where the shore was about 4,000 years ago. To the sout…
Question of prediction
Whether the Tangshan earthquake was predicted has had considerable political as well as seismological significance.
The 1975 Haicheng earthquake (about 400 km [250 miles] northeast of Tangshan) is regarded by seismologists as the only successful prediction of a major earthquake, although no mechanism has been proposed to explain this prediction, and no successful predictions have been achieve…
Comparison
Comparison of the Tangshan death toll – officially 242,419 —with other earthquake disasters is problematical because of uncertainty in the statistics. For example, the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake (estimated magnitude of ~8) is generally said to have been the deadliest earthquake disaster in history, with 830,000 deaths, based on Chinese historical records. However, a Chinese language source argues for only 530,000 deaths from the earthquake itself, with the larger number being t…
Background to The Tragedy — Politics and The Gang of Four in 1976
The Ground Shifts Beneath Them
- 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. The quake leveled about 85% of the buildings in Tangshan, which had been built on the unstable soil of the Luanhe River's flood plain. This alluvial soil liquefiedduring the quake, undermining entire neighborhoods. Structures in Beijing also sustaine…
Beijing's Internal Response
- At the time the earthquake struck, Mao Zedong lay dying in the hospital in Beijing. As tremors rippled through the capital, hospital officials rushed to push Mao's bed to safety. The central government, headed by the new premiere, Hua Guofeng, initially knew little of the disaster. According to an articlein the New York Times, coal miner Li Yulin was the first to bring word of th…
Beijing's International Response
- Although the state-run media took the unusual step of announcing the catastrophe to China's citizens, the government remained mum about the earthquake internationally. Of course, other governments around the world were aware that a significant earthquake had taken place based on seismograph readings. However, the extent of the damage and number of casualties was no…
Physical Fallout of The Quake
- By the official count, 242,000 people lost their lives in the Great Tangshan Earthquake. Many experts have since speculated that the actual toll was as high as 700,000, but the true number will probably never be known. The city of Tangshan was rebuilt from the ground up, and now is home to more than 3 million people. It is known as the "Brave City of China" for its swift recovery from t…
Political Fallout of The Quake
- In many ways, the political repercussions of the Great Tangshan Earthquake were even more significant than the death toll and physical damage. Mao Zedong died on September 9, 1976. He was replaced as Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, not by one of the radical Gang of Four, but by Premiere Hua Guofeng. Buoyed by public support after his show of concern at Tan…
Conclusion
- The Great Tangshan Earthquake of 1976 was the worst natural disaster of the twentieth century, in terms of loss of life. However, the earthquake proved instrumental in ending the Cultural Revolution, which was one of the worst man-made disasters of all time. In the name of the Communist struggle, the Cultural Revolutionaries destroyed the traditional culture, arts, religion, …