July 1, 1879 Earthquake: Gansu Province, China

July 1, 1879, S of Wudu, Gansu Province, 33.2 N, 104.7 E, magnitude VIII, intensity XI.

The earthquake caused disaster in Gansu Province affecting the adjacent areas of Sichuan Province and Shaanxi Province. The earthquake area stretched approximately 1,000 km, beyond Xi'an to the east, and Chengdu to the south. Foreshocks occurred two days earlier, either every other day slightly or for several days running.

Meizoseismic region: Wudu, Wenxian.

Wudu: Over 4,100 people were killed; six-tenths of the livestock was killed and houses damaged in Narxiang (southern township); over 1,800 people were killed, four-tenths of the livestock was killed and houses damaged in Xixiang (West Township); over 1,300 people were killed, six-tenths of the livestock was killed and houses damaged in Beixiarg (northern township); 650 people were killed, two-tenths of the livestock was killed and houses damaged in Dongxiarg (East Township). All 60 temples were razed at Wanshou Hill, including Yuhuang Temple, Longxing Temple, Yufeng Hill and Taishan Temple outside the city. Most of the halls, big and small, of the Prefecture office, houses of the local authorities tilted; over half of the walls collapsed; all smaller construction collapsed, all battlements fell down, a major part of the city walls were split up and broken. Mountains cracked open with ejection of water. Rivers and canals by the city changed their course, debris blocking and waterlogging everywhere. An earth mound 1 km in circumference cropped up in the city. Hills collapsed and stones rolled, ground cracked and water gushed in all places. Landslides occurred at Nanshan Hill, crushing the southwest city walls for about 10 m long and over 200 civilian houses, 9,881 people were killed.

Wenxian: City walls were ruined; all the government offices, storehouses, prisons, schools and temples collapsed. Linjiang Bridge (at Linjiargguan 50 km. NE of the county town) was sunk. More than 750 rooms of civilian houses were damaged, more than 80 collapsed, and 26 people were killed in the city. More than 2,800 rooms of civilian houses collapsed inside and outside the city; more than 350 totally collapsed; 5,868 people and over 1,59U domestic animals were killed at Hufeidongyu and Malianhe as well as 17 other places in the west. 60 to 80% of houses were crushed or collapsed. 4,894 people were killed at Pandaojian Hill and 17 other places on the river in the north) 30 to 70% of manors were collapsed and domestic animals were killed. Totally, 10,792 people were injured or killed in city and villages.

Xigu: 437 people and about 80% of livestock were killed.

Lixian: 42 people were killed in east, south and west townships.

Xihe: In the south township, more than 2,200 rooms were destroyed and 38 people were killed or injured; in the north township, more than 1,990 rooms collapsed and 9 people were killed. More than 6,600 rooms were destroyed and 70 people were killed or injured in the city and townships altogether.

Tianshui: In the east and north townships, 32 people were killed, of them 30 were in the east township.

Qin'an: 13 people were killed, and more than 20 were seriously injured in the east township.

Nanping: Altogether more than 300 people were killed or injured.

Huixian: 2 people were killed.

Qingshui: 7 people were killed.

Lintan: Some people were killed.

Chengxian: 21 people were killed.

Mianxian: Several houses were destroyed and inhabitants killed.

Baoji: 4 people were killed.

Zhouzhi: Casualties.

Qianxian: One person was killed.

Kangxian: Walls and houses in Yueming Temple were leveled to the ground.

Daojiang, Sichuan Province: Many house ridges were broken and fell.

Nanzheng, Shaanxi Province: Buildings in a subdistrict magistrate office fell.

(above from reference #3939)