On January 1, 1976, a massive earthquake struck Tangshan, China, killing an estimated 242,000 people. The quake, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, caused widespread destruction in the industrial city. Many buildings collapsed, and rescue efforts were hindered by damaged infrastructure. Despite the magnitude of the disaster, the Chinese government initially downplayed its scale. The event remains one of the deadliest earthquakes in modern history.