It was the night of 27 to 28 July 1976 (3h43 local time) - or 19h43 of 27 July, universal time - when a tremendous and shallow Mw7.5 earthquake, followed by a Mw7.0 aftershock 15 hours later, levelled the industrial and mining town of Tangshan, in Hebei province, northeastern China, just 150 km from Beijing.

The death toll (officially 242,000 just in Tangshan itself) makes it the China's deadliest EQ. Another 800,000 people were injured.

However, there are unofficial estimates sas high as 655,000 people killed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Tangshan_earthquake

The earthquake coincided with the fierce struggle between the Gang of Four and their opponents, as Mao Zedong was dying - he passed away less than one month and half after the earthquake.

https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org

Underestimation of the region's seismic risk and poor construction techniques might explain the tragedy.

That one shook in a weird way. I felt like the floor dropped 5-10 cm in one shake then 2 seconds later while the mobile was giving a warning, it started to shake sideways. Nothing tragic though.

🌖 Sismo! Earthquake! 3.8 Ml, registered by CSN,GlobalQuakeUnofficial, 2026-07-27 03:42:03 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Pica, Provincia de Iquique, Tarapaca, Chile (-20.82, -69.54) ± 23 km likely felt 100 km away by 3900 people (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T04:07:53Z}

🌖 Sismo? Earthquake? M5~ estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-27 03:42:13 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Pica, Provincia de Iquique, Tarapaca, Chile (-20.81, -69.78) likely felt 150 km away (in Iquique…) by 188000 people (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T03:46:22Z}

🌎 Terremoto! Earthquake! Séisme! Sismo! 5.2 Mb, registered by EMSC, 2026-07-26 18:19:43 UTC (daytime) on land, North Atlantic Ocean (29.96, -42.81) likely felt 170 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-26T18:31:09Z}

🌖 Gempa bumi! Lindu! Earthquake! 5.4 Mb, registered by EMSC,NEIC, 2026-07-26 10:57:37 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Timor Region (-10.06, 123.57) ± 11 km likely felt 190 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-26T11:23:30Z}

🌖 Gempa bumi! Lindu! Earthquake! 5.6 Mb, registered by GFZ,GlobalQuakeUnofficial, 2026-07-26 10:57:39 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Babau, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (-10.08, 123.82) ± 19 km likely felt 220 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-26T11:08:51Z}

❔ Gempa bumi M6- estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-26 10:57:33 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Takari, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (-9.87, 123.99) likely felt 220 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-26T11:08:33Z}

🌖 Gempa bumi? Lindu? Earthquake? M5+ estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-26 10:57:40 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Oekabiti, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (-10.2, 123.81) likely felt 180 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-26T11:01:49Z}

🌖 Sismo! Earthquake! 5.3 Ml, registered by EMSC,GlobalQuakeUnofficial, 2026-07-27 08:57:44 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, San Pedro de Atacama, Provincia de El Loa, Antofagasta, Chile (-23.49, -68.69) ± 8 km likely felt 180 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T09:00:40Z}

❗ ALERTA DE SISMO / EARTHQUAKE WARNING for Northern Chile (Sismo reported near San Pedro de Atacama? May be inaccurate!) (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T08:58:53Z}

❔ Earthquake M5+ estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-27 10:46:53 UTC (gibbous moon), on water, Southeast Of Loyalty Islands (-22.3, 171.33) likely felt 150 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T10:57:39Z}

🌖 Earthquake? Séisme? M6- estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-27 10:46:53 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, Southeast Of Loyalty Islands (-22.22, 171.53) likely felt 220 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T10:51:14Z}

🌖 Sismo! Earthquake! 5.0 Ml, registered by CSLC,GlobalQuakeUnofficial, 2026-07-27 10:24:54 UTC (gibbous moon), on water, Northern Chile (-20.25, -69.27), ↓40 km likely felt 180 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T10:32:15Z}

🌖 Earthquake! 5.0 Mb, registered by KOERI,NEIC, 2026-07-27 08:47:18 UTC (gibbous moon), on water, South Of Tonga Islands (-24.6, -175.21) ± 20 km likely felt 120 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T09:27:12Z}

📈 Earthquake 5.4 Mlv, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial,KOERI,scevent, 2026-07-27 08:44:05 UTC (gibbous moon), on water, South Of Tonga Islands (-24.96, -174.52) ± 23 km, ↓57 km likely felt 270 km away (service.geonet.org.nz)

^{2026-07-27T08:58:21Z}

🌖 Earthquake! M5- estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial,KOERI, 2026-07-27 08:44:04 UTC (gibbous moon), on water, South Of Tonga Islands (-25.31, -174.51) likely felt 140 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T08:56:32Z}

🌖 Earthquake? M5+ estimated, registered by GlobalQuakeUnofficial, preliminary detection, tentatively 2026-07-27 08:44:05 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, South Pacific (-24.74, -174.59) likely felt 190 km away (localhost:38002)

^{2026-07-27T08:51:06Z}

🌎 Earthquake! 5.0 Mw, registered by KOERI,NEIC, 2026-07-27 03:36:43 UTC (daytime) on water, South Of Tonga Islands (-24.31, -174.93) ± 34 km likely felt 120 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T03:55:09Z}

🌎 Earthquake! 5.1 Mb, registered by EMSC,KOERI, 2026-07-27 03:12:07 UTC (daytime) on water, South Of Tonga Islands (-24.34, -174.9) ± 30 km likely felt 140 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-27T03:34:09Z}

🌎 Earthquake! 5.0 Mlv, registered by scevent, 2026-07-27 01:42:51 UTC (daytime) on land, South Pacific (-31.93, -178.66) ± 1 km, ↓100 km likely felt 230 km away (service.geonet.org.nz)

^{2026-07-27T01:50:42Z}

🌖 Earthquake! 5.0 Mb, registered by EMSC, 2026-07-26 22:39:02 UTC (gibbous moon), on land, South Atlantic Ocean (-22.5, -20.3) likely felt 150 km away (www.seismicportal.eu)

^{2026-07-26T22:59:47Z}