The most affected areas were Huaxian and Weinan, as documented in the Journal of Geophysical Research. “The greatest levels of shaking were experienced in the Huaxian and Weinan regions,” the journal notes.
This suggests that the earthquake ruptured the nearby Huashan and Weinan faults. History.com mentions that the earthquake also “triggered landslides,” which significantly contributed to the death toll approaching 830,000.
Given the event’s antiquity, fully grasping all the details remains challenging. However, a translated excerpt from ancient documents known as Annals offers insight into the disaster’s impact.
“In some places, the ground suddenly rose up and formed new hills, or it sank abruptly and became new valleys,” the Annals recount. “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.”
The extensive death toll is attributed, in part, to the type of dwellings people inhabited at the time. Many lived in structures called Yaodongs, which were susceptible to collapse due to the earthquake’s intensity.
Following the disaster, homes were rebuilt using bamboo and wood for their resilience to tremors, better preparing locals for future seismic events. Additionally, major cities needed reconstruction as many buildings, made from dense stone, collapsed, causing widespread devastation during the quake.
In the aftermath, the region endured aftershocks for six months, exacerbating the destruction.