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Saturday marks the 10th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake, a catastrophe that caused mass casualties and economic losses. It is also China's 10th Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day, set in the wake of the devastating quake.
On this important date, CGTN reviews the massive earthquake in 2008 and outlines the frequency as well as distributions of the quakes China suffered, based on data over the past decade.
On May 12, 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, leaving more than 69,000 dead and causing damage to infrastructure.
Wenchuan and neighboring areas were hit by many aftershocks in the days following the 8.0-magnitude earthquake.
As search-and-rescue missions continued after May 12, the fate of the people in quake-hit areas tugged at people's heartstrings. Here are some unforgettable moments.
14:28 May 12, 2008 An 8.0-magnitude earthquake ravages Wenchuan, a mountainous region in southwestern China. /VCG Photo
15:00 May 12, 2008 The garrison and armed police forces carry out rescues on the spot. /VCG Photo
16:00 May 12, 2008 Breeder Tan Chengbin rushes into the cabin to evacuate Giant Panda Qingqing from the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center in southwest Sichuan Province. /VCG Photo
21:00 May 12, 2008 Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrives at Dujiangyan City to oversee rescue work. /Xinhua Photo
00:00 May 13, 2008 Nearly 20,000 soldiers are engaged in the rescue work. /VCG Photo
7:00 May 13, 2008 Three-year-old Lang Zhen salutes to soldiers when he was rescued. /VCG Photo
23:15 May 13, 2008 Two hundred armed police officers manage to arrive in Wenchuan by trekking, the first batch for rescue work at the epicenter. /VCG Photo
May 15, 2008 More than 60,000 people are rescued; Wenchuan restores contact with outside world after 70 hours. /VCG Photo
23:00 May 15, 2008 An 18-year-old boy is pulled from rubble after 80 hours. The first thing he asks for is an iced coke, earning him the sobriquet "Coke Boy" or the "Boy who Made China Smile." /VCG Photo
10:30 May 16, 2008 Chinese President Hu Jintao touches down in Sichuan to console quake victims and soldiers on duty. /Xinhua Photo
May 19-21, 2008 China holds three-day national mourning for tens of thousands of people killed in Wenchuan earthquake. /VCG Photo
June 17, 2008 A pig is found alive after 36 days trapped under earthquake debris and is named "Strong-Willed Pig." /VCG Photo
May 12, 2009 In the wake of the disaster, the Chinese government decided to make May 12 "Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day," starting in 2009. /VCG Photo
Earthquakes in China
The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake caused major casualties, property loss and environmental damage. Though quake of such tremendous magnitudes are infrequent, earthquakes themselves are quite common across the country.
During the last decade, China has experienced hundreds of tremors underground, more than 300 of which had a magnitude that measured over 5.
China’s land area accounts for 1/15 of the global total, while almost 1/3 of the global land earthquakes happen in China. As China is located between the two largest seismic belts, i.e. the Circum-Pacific Seismic Zone and the Eurasian Seismic Zone, its quakes are characterized by high frequencies, seismic intensity, shallow epicenter and wide distributions, according to China Earthquake Administration.
As earthquakes can happen anytime, anywhere and without any warning, you need to keep in mind the do's and don'ts just in case.
(Graphics design: Li Xiaojie; Data collection and visualization: Zhao Lei)