March 7, 1966 Earthquake: Hebei Province, China

March 8, 1966, 05:29:14 (local time), East of Longyao, Hebei Province, 37 deg 21 min N, 114 deg 55 min E, depth 8 km, magnitude 6.8, intensity IX.

The meizoseismal region was from Shijiazhui of Xujiazhuang, Ningjing County in the north, to Lianzhi Town, Longyao County in the south, from Beihakou, Julu County in the east, to Guanzhuang and Liutongzhuang in the west it includes an area of 300 kms. The region in and around Malan and Rencun were destroyed most seriously. Most of the adobe houses and houses with bricks on the surface collapsed or almost razed. Most masonry houses were destroyed or collapsed. The arrangement of ground fissures were zonary in shape. Many fissures, 8-30 cm in width, with a relative vertical displacement of the two flanks from ten to some dozens of centimeters, occurred on both banks of the section of the Fuyang River from Gengzhuangqiao to Baijiazhai, with general emission of sand and water. Well water upsurged or overflowed. Bridges on the Fuyang River were destroyed seriously. The Houxinlizhuang Bridge collapsed as a result of the failure of the piers.

(above from reference #3939)

March 7, 1966, 21:29:17 UTC, 37.2 N, 114.8 E,depth 33 km, magntidue 6.75. Thirty communes were damaged by the first shock, indicating that about 300,000 Chinese were affected in the densely populated city of Singtai. A report released by the New China News Agency stated that great numbers of medical personnel had been rushed to Singtai to care for the victims, indicating a probable high casualty figure. After the occurrence of the stronger shock in the same area on 22 March, a report was released stating that loss of was lighter in the 7 March shock, indicating some fatalities in the earlier tremor. Considerable property damage was sustained on 22 March, principally to buildings already weakened by the first earthquake. (reference #45)

March 7, 1966, 21.29 UTC, 37.3 N, 114.9 E, magnitude 5.8 mb, 7.1 MS. Little detailed information is available on the series of violent shocks which occurred in Hopeh province, north-eastern China, in March 1966. The earthquake of March 7, whose epicentre was located in the region of Hsing-t'ai, about 400 km south-west of Pekin, probably caused extensive damage since the magnitude was 7 and the focus shallow. The New China agency reported 'various degrees of damage' in about thirty communes. The shock of March 22 was even more violent; its epicentre was near that of the previous shock, and it was felt over a wide area, including Pekin, 300 km away. The New China agency reported that numerous buildings and houses collapsed but that the number of casualties was less than on 8 March, when people had been caught in their sleep. The worst damage was done at Hsing-t'ai, Heng-shui and Shih-chia-chuang; numerous aftershocks were felt in the same region up to 29 March. (reference #1039)

March 7, 1966, 21:29:17 UTC, Hopeh, China, 37.2 N, 114.8 E, depth 33 km, magnitude 6.4 mb, 7.4 MS. (reference #1229)

March 8, 1966, Singtai, Hopeh, China, magnitude 6.8, many victims. (reference #1002)

1966-03-07 21:29:18.61 UTC, 37.308 N 114.919 E, magnitude 6.5 Mw (reference #10476, v.11)

Reference #14034 lists 02 Mar 1966 with magnitude 7.2 Ms. 8,064 deaths [Note: this death number could be for the entire sequence not just this single event]