1556 Shaanxi earthquake
Map of China showing modern-day Shaanxi province (red) and the other provinces affected by the earthquake (orange) | |
| Local date | 23 January 1556 in Julian calendar 2 February 1556 in Gregorian calendar The 12th day of the 12th month of the 34th year of the Jiajing era in Chinese calendar |
|---|---|
| Local time | Early morning |
| Magnitude | 7.0–7.5 Mw, 8.0 Mw |
| Depth | Unknown |
| Epicenter | 34°30′01″N 109°18′00″E / 34.50028°N 109.30000°E |
| Areas affected | Ming dynasty |
| Max. intensity | MMI XI (Extreme) |
| Casualties |
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The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake (Postal romanization: Shensi), known in Chinese colloquially by its regnal year as the Jiajing Great Earthquake "嘉靖大地震" (Jiājìng Dàdìzhèn) or officially by its epicenter as the Hua County Earthquake "华县地震" (Huàxiàn Dìzhèn), occurred in the early morning of 2 February 1556 in Huaxian, Shaanxi, during the Ming dynasty.
Most of the residents there lived in yaodongs—artificial caves in loess cliffs—which collapsed and buried alive those sleeping inside. Modern estimates by China Earthquake Administration's publications put the direct deaths from the earthquake at roughly 100,000, while over 700,000 either migrated away or died from famine and plagues, which summed up to a total reduction of 830,000 people in Imperial hukou registration. It is one of the deadliest earthquakes and one of the deadliest natural disasters in Chinese history.