1695 Linfen earthquake

Mercalli intensity scale

rift system. The 1303 Hongdong and 1556 Shanxi earthquakes were the deadliest events occurring in the rift, with a death toll of 200,000 and 830,000, respectively.^[2]

subducts along the east coast of Japan; or localized intraplate tectonics.^[3]

crustal extension along the Shanxi Rift System. The rift extends for 1,200 km (750 mi), and is up to 60 km (37 mi) across. The graben is bounded by normal faults on both sides capable of generating earthquakes. Extension along the rift zone occur at a slow rate of 0.8 ± 0.3 mm (0.031 ± 0.012 in)/year, hence earthquakes occur with long intervals of recurrence. Previous estimated magnitudes of earthquakes by Chinese researchers have possible inaccuracies as they are biased on written descriptions and death toll from these earthquakes.^[4]

left-lateral slip sense. The earthquake location is adjacent to another large earthquake in 1303. The previous event prior to 1695 was a M_s  7.0 earthquake in 1683. The 1695 earthquake occurred in a region of reduced stress due to coulomb stress transfer from previous events. The region was already under long-term stress which led to faults rupturing. The 1695 event is the most recent magnitude 7.0 or greater earthquake to occur in the Shanxi Rift.^[2]

Xiangling County, 7,000 people died. Many more livestock were also killed. In the aftermath, only a handful of homes, government buildings, temples and education institutions survived. Linfen lost at least 28,000 residents or 16 percent of its population. The city accounted for 53 percent of the total death toll. Reports of damage also came from Hebei, Gansu, and Jiangsu provinces.^[7] An official report in 1875 stated that 52,600 people died, but a monument from the Yuan dynasty placed that figure at 176,365.^[8] Ground effects assicoated the earthquake are still visible today. At Dongputou and Xiputou villages in the Xiangcheng District, a large valley, splitting villages into two. The Tongli canal, a source of water for agriculture in the region, was destroyed during the tremors.^[9]

Taels of silver were given to each deceased individual. In Linfen, a total of 36,212 taels were handled out. Donations requested by the Minister of Relief from all government officials amounted to 4,594,200 taels of silver and were used to rebuild homes. Funds for the reconstruction of towns and the city structure were allocated by the government. Soldiers patrolled the area to prevent crimes and disorderly conduct.^[9]