Just before 2:30 p.m. on 12 May 2008, China’s Sichuan province was rocked by the 19th deadliest earthquake of all time. Less than three months before the country hosted the world in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the “Great Sichuan Earthquake” struck with a Richter magnitude of 8.0 and took the lives of at least 69,000 people. Wenchuan, the capital of Sichuan, began to shake. The earthquake was so intense that it could be felt in both Beijing and Shanghai—1,500 kilometers and 1,700 kilometers away—where office buildings swayed with the tremor.
Official figures as of 21 July 2008 confirmed: 69,227 dead (68,636 in Sichuan province) 374,176 injured 18,222 missing 4.8 million people homeless (though the number could be as high as 11 million).
The Great Sichuan Earthquake was the deadliest to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed at least 240,000 people, and the strongest since the 1950 Chayu earthquake, which registered at 8.5 on Richter magnitude scale. One month later, survivors in Sichuan province started to rebuild their lives with the help of the Chinese army and volunteers, picking up the pieces….
May-June 2008
Survivors at their destroyed home, at the town of Legiu, Beichuan county.
Destroyed houses caused by flooding from quake lakes, near the town of Nemba, Sichuan province.blocked rivers formed about 30 lakes in the quake zone, posing a series flood risk for people living downstream.
A body that was found one month after the quake, is carried for burial at the town of Yingxiu, Sichuan province.,over half of the town's 10000 people have died in the quake.
Survivors waiting for their damaged house to be assessed by government officials. Xianwang village, Sichuan province.
A dog (which survived the quake) standing near the ruins of his owners destroyed house. Hanwang town.
Mothers of children who died while their school collapsed in the quake , staging a protest infant of the school ruins, blaming government officials in reckless building of the school , Juyuan town.
Chinese soldiers walking back to their camp after finishing one of many shifts of clearing rubble and searching for survivors at the town of Yingxiu.
The aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude quake in the town of Hongbay, Sichuan province.
Zhang Hongxu (Left) and her husband Wejingline, both survived the quake, waiting for food distribution , near the ruins of their home, Xiangwang village, Sichuan province.
Parts of the destroyed town of Yingxiu. over half of the town's population of 10000 have died in the 7.8 magnitude quake.
Empty streets. Hanwang town.most major buildings in the town, including schools and 3 hospitals, were destroyed by the quake.
A daughter watches her father , who was injured during the quake, at a field hospital . Mianzhu town, Sichuan province.
A man looking for iron in his destroyed house, in order to sell it, Hongbay village, Sichuan province.
Quake survivors taking a break from salvaging their belongings , at the town of Leigu.
A quake survivor in Yingxiu town , over half of the town's population of 10000 have died in the 7.8 magnitude quake.
Soldiers clearing rubble from a road that was blocked by one of the many quake landslides. Yingxiu, Sichuan province.
The road to Yingxiu town which was destroyed by the quake, Sichuan province.
Residents of Mianyang rural areas, waiting in a higher ground shelter. the. Tangjiashan quake lake posed a series flood risk to people living downstream in Mianyang area.
Children standing by their destroyed home, Hongbay town.
A baby who was born one week after the 7.8 magnitude quake, carried by his mother at the family shelter, Leigu town.
Chinese soldiers walking back to their camp after finishing one of many shifts of clearing rubble and searching for survivors at the town of Yingxiu.
Residents taking a smoke break, while salvaging their belongings at the destroyed town of Yingxiu. over half of the towns population of 10000 have died in the quake.
A quake survivor sitting outside his destroyed home and shop, waiting for soldiers to come and help him clear rubble from his house. Yingxiu town, Sichuan province.
Brother and sister at the family shelter, living outside their destroyed home . Yingxiu town, Sichuan province.
A quake survivor searching the rubbles of his destroyed home for anything that was left intact. Yingxiu town.
Children taking a bath at a near by lake, after their family homes were detstroyed by the quake. Yingxiu town.
Survivors of the quake from Yingxiu, looking at their destroyed town being blown up by soldiers in order to make clearing of rubble easier.