Wenchuan Earthquake 10 Years On: Memorial service held to remember victims

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Today marks the anniversary of an earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people in Sichuan province, China. Ten years ago, a magnitude-8 quake struck Wenchuan county at 2:28pm. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit China since the Tangshan quake in 1976. A memorial service was held in Wenchuan county today to remember the victims. Tao Yuan has the story.

The clock points at 2:28. The moment when so many lives suddenly stopped on the fateful afternoon ten years ago. A moment of silence followed by the laying of flowers. Thousands grieved, civilians, government workers, representatives from medical and rescue teams. A solemn speech from Peng Qinghua, Party Secretary of Sichuan Province.

PENG QINGHUA PARTY SECRETARY, SICHUAN PROVINCE "The reconstruction process that followed the earthquake was a massive project seldom seen in human history. 10 years on, Wenchuan is now reborn."

Even before the official ceremony, an annual mourning ritual. Families and friends flooded to the mountainside – a mass grave where 6,000 victims are buried, many unidentified, with only a name representing their death. The wound ten years ago again torn open.

"I lost my father in the earthquake. I miss him very much. But only remembering him is not enough. We persevered the memory of him. I think he would be very happy to see our homeland now."

Here's the source of his pride. Traces of the deadly disaster are long gone. Now, the township of Ying Xiu wants to become an eco-tourism hub. In a letter to the International Conference for the Decade Memory of the Wenchuan Earthquake, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed the post-disaster reconstruction work in Wenchuan, while calling for enhancing China's disaster prevention capabilities.

A call that's already showing promise in this town. On the tenth anniversary, an education center for emergency response opened making simple warning devices in this quake prone zone and mimicking emergency situations.

Workers here say awareness is what matters.

PAN HAO, FOUNDER WENCHUAN GENGXIN EDUCATION AND CULTURE "The earthquake 10 years ago doesn't define Wenchuan. The resilience of the people does. We need to remember the past, but not dwell on it. Instead, we should plan for the future."

Even as scars remain Wenchuan moves on. The strength they've shown to rebuild their homeland, is still needed to make it better. Tao Yuan, CGTN.