China
16:23, 12-May-2018
10 years on: How did the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake affect China?
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May 12, 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the devastating 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.
May 12, 2008, 2:28 p.m., a magnitude-8.0 quake from around 10 to 20 kilometers below the ground hit Wenchuan County in southwest China’s Sichuan Province and lasted for about two minutes. It was the strongest earthquake in China since 1949. Tremors were felt across the country and also some neighboring countries including Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan.
Why was it so significant?
The way to Yingxiu county, May 13 2008. /Photo by Cui Jun
The way to Yingxiu county, May 13 2008. /Photo by Cui Jun
It was the strongest earthquake in China since 1949.
By 12:00 p.m., May 27, 2009, there had been 54,971 aftershocks, the strongest of which measured M6.4.
The hardest-hit areas covered over 100,000 square kilometers. However, the mountainous topography of the affected area made access difficult and rescue work challenging.
Because of the severe earthquake, the direct economic losses exceeded 845 billion yuan (133 billion US dollars).
A look back at its aftermath
After the quake, China carried out nationwide checks on public facilities, including schools and hospitals. China reinforced disaster relief efforts, including raising subsidies for victims and speeding up reconstruction of damaged residential buildings.
CGTN Photo
CGTN Photo
China decided to make May 12 National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Day, starting in 2009. On that day, disaster emergency drills are carried out across the country to increase public awareness of disaster prevention.
Through institutional reform, China also set up a Ministry of Emergency Management in March 2018 to improve the national response to disasters by bringing together response units from different agencies.
The scars have now begun to heal thanks to the aid from government funds and individual donations over the years. May Wenchuan and its people continue getting better!
(Graphic Design: Yin Yating Voice Over: Charlotte Bates Animation: Zheng Chenlei, Wang Li, Pan Yongzhe）
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