Two of the World’s Worse Earthquakes were in January

The most deadly earthquake in history was in Shaanxi, China in 1556. It's estimated to have killed 830,000 people. This is more than twice that of the second most fatal: the recent Port-au-Prince earthquake in Haiti in 2010. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake occurred on January 23, 1556. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in history, with an estimated death toll of over 830,000 people.  The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.0 Mw, and its epicenter was located in the Wei River Valley in Shaanxi Province, near Huaxian (now Huazhou District of Weinan), Weinan and Huayin. 

The earthquake occurred during the Ming dynasty, and most of the residents there lived in yaodongs —artificial caves in loess cliffs—which collapsed and buried alive those sleeping inside. Modern estimates put the direct deaths from the earthquake at over 100,000, while over 700,000 migrated away or died from famine and plagues, which summed up to a total loss of 830,000 people in Imperial records. It was the deadliest recorded earthquake in history, and in turn one of the deadliest natural disasters in Chinese history.

It's reported that On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, a country located in the Caribbean. The earthquake's epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.  The earthquake was so powerful that it caused widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure, leaving many people homeless and without access to basic necessities such as food and water. 

The earthquake was one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history, with an estimated death toll of over 300,000. Hundreds of thousands of survivors were displaced, and the country's economy was severely impacted.The earthquake also caused significant damage to the country's infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and other public buildings. 

The international community responded quickly to the disaster, with many countries and organizations providing aid and support to the people of Haiti. Despite these efforts, the country is still recovering from the earthquake, which remains one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history. 

Image sourced from National Curriculum