The Tangshan Earthquake, also known as the Great Tangshan Earthquake, was a natural disaster that occurred on Wednesday, July 28, 1976. It is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Tangshan in Hebei, People's Republic of China, an industrial city with approximately one million inhabitants. Read more
Commemorations have been held in Tangshan in China to mark 30 years since a massive earthquake devastated the city.
Over 1,000 people attended a ceremony to remember those who died when the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck in the early morning of 28 July 1976. About 240,000 people died, according to official figures, and over 90% of the city's buildings were flattened. The earthquake occurred directly under Tangshan at a depth of 8km. A magnitude 7.1 aftershock 15 hours later caused further destruction and killed many people trapped in collapsed buildings.