Which earthquake is considered the deadliest in modern recorded history?

The Shaanxi earthquake struck on 23 January 1556 during the Ming dynasty and devastated parts of central China. Historical records suggest an estimated 830,000 people died, making it the deadliest earthquake in recorded history. Many victims lived in loess cave dwellings that collapsed during the shaking. Because this was before modern seismology, the magnitude is uncertain, but it is often estimated around 8.0. The disaster is one of the most tragic events in earthquake history and remains a key example of how geology and human settlement interact.