These Are The Deadliest Natural Disasters In Modern History

Tangshan Earthquake, 1976

On July 28, 1976, the 25 -mile long Tangshan fault in China gave out. This created an earthquake with a 7.8 magnitude that completely destroyed the city of Tangshan, China, with over 1 million inhabitants. It is considered to be the deadliest earthquake of the 20th century.

The death toll was first estimated to be over 240,000 people, but another report indicates that the toll was approximately 650,000 with 160,000 injured. After the initial ‘quake, the area was hit by a 7.1 magnitude aftershock 16 hours later, increasing the death toll further.