'Deadliest day' in world history saw 800,000 people die in chilling catastrophe
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: China Photos/Getty Images
January 23, 1556, may have been centuries ago, but it's still described as the 'deadliest day' in world history after 800,000 people lost their lives in a chilling catastrophe.
The most destructive incident in history took place in China’s Huazhou District, an event that is still very much talked about to this day.
An earthquake rocked the region, demolishing three cities and causing landslides, mudslides, and fires that killed hundreds of thousands.
The deadly natural disaster came in at a magnitude of between 8.0 and 8.3, and is often referred to as the 'Jiajing Great Earthquake', due to it happening during Emperor Jiajing's reign.
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The Huaxian and Weinan regions were greatly impacted, according to the Journal of Geophysical Research.
"The greatest levels of shaking were experienced in the Huaxian and Weinan regions," the journal states.
"Suggesting that the earthquake ruptured the nearby Huashan and Weinan faults."
According to History.com, the earthquake also 'trigged landslides', which contributed to the near 830,000 death toll.
As the disaster was so long ago, it's pretty difficult to pinpoint all the facts when it comes to this catastrophic event.
Thankfully, a translated quote from local Annals - which are ancient historical documents - states what is believed to have gone on.
"In some places, the ground suddenly rose up and formed new hills, or it sank abruptly and became new valleys," the Annals reads.
"In other areas, a stream burst out in an instant, or the ground broke and new gullies appeared. Huts, official houses, temples and city walls collapsed all of a sudden."
Officials believe that one of the main reasons for the high number of deaths is because of the type of housing people were living in at the time.
Those in the area lived in caves called Yaodongs, which ultimately collapsed at the time of the disaster due to the sheer strength of the earthquake.
Bamboo and wood were used instead to construct homes due to their tremor resistance after the disaster, meaning locals were better equipped in the event of a similar disaster.
Major cities were also forced to have a makeover as many of the structures had been built of dense, heavy stone, which caused huge devastation during the earthquake.
Stone buildings that made up many of the major cities crumbled during the disaster, crushing and killing thousands.
The region suffered after shocks for six months after the tragedy, which caused further devastation.