Earthquake of 1976 in Tangshan

The Earthquake of Tangshan in 1976 took place the July 28th 1976 with 3:52 of the morning. It was one of the most fatal earthquakes of the history. The epicentre of the earthquake was located close to the industrial city of Tangshan in the province of the Hebei, in China, which counted approximately a million inhabitants at the time. According to the official figures, the assessment of the earthquake was: 242419 dead, whereas certain sources adds up three times of them more. : 164581 people were also severely wounded. The seismologists estimate that the earthquake reached the magnitude of 8,2 on the scale of Richter, whereas the Chinese government evaluates the magnitude between 7,6 and 7,8. The earthquake was followed by a counterpart fifteen hours later of 7,1 on the scale of Richter, making new deaths.

Assessment

The earthquake of Tangshan killed: 242419 people according to the official figures, whereas certain sources speak about a figure three times higher. That would do of them one of the most fatal earthquakes of our history. Being given uncertainty on the number of died in both cases, it is not certain that the Tsunami occurred the December 26th, 2004 was more fatal than the earthquake of Tangshan: the official results of the tsunami are of: 228000 with: 288000 victims. Other earthquakes since 1900 were very fatal:

the earthquake of Xining, Qinghai which killed: 200000 people in China in 1927
the great earthquake of Kanto which killed: 143000 people with Tokyo in 1923
the earthquake of Gansu, which killed: 200000 people in China in 1920

The most fatal earthquake of the history occurred in 1556 with Shaanxi in China. According to the estimates: 830000 people were killed.

Consequences

The government of the Popular republic of China refused the international assistance

Video document

Tv news, July 30th, 1976 (site of the INA)

See too

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