Introduction to Sichuan Earthquake
Earthquake, an unexpected natural calamity, which destroys several lives and livelihoods. The Sichuan earthquake in China is also one of the unfortunate things that happened in 2008. It is also referred to as the Great Sichuan earthquake or Wenchuan earthquake. The china earthquake date was recorded as, at the magnitude 8.0, and the time is around 2.28 pm of May 12, 2008. It was a massive earthquake that occurred 80 km from the West Central mountain region of Chengdu. Dujiangyan is the nearest locality. The provisional capital was measured as 19 km depth from the below surface.
According to the official assessment of the Chinese government, around 60,000 people lost their lives along with 68,636 in Sichuan province. Also, 5,300 children were killed as a result of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. 374,176 were injured, and 18,222 were listed as missing from the reports of July 2008. Around 11 million people became homeless, and this earthquake was recorded as the 18th deadliest earthquake. After a few months, in November, the Chinese government announced to spend 1 trillion RMB for reconstructing those destroyed villages.
Besides the huge loss of human resources, several dams, buildings collapsed. Also, several rivers and lakes were completely covered by rocks, stones and mud. Around 200 people came forward and worked hard to drain the impounded water. The Chinese government had reacted immediately and deployed 130,000 soldiers and several workers to rescue the damaged areas. The China earthquake of 2008 did not leave the region soon. Again it gave shocks in 2011 and 2013. During these quakes, even though there is a considerable loss, it's not enormous.
Sichuan Earthquake 2008 Causes
The Sichuan earthquake was caused due to the collision of Indian-Australian and Eurasian plates. The collision occurred approximately 250 km. With the fault of Longmenshan, the Indian-Australian plate has changed its position from northward to eastward, where the Tibet plateau is located. These two plates had undergone compressions. These compressional forces had affected the ground about 29feet upward. It leads to disaster at various places for several days, months and years. No one forgets the China earthquake date as it results in numerous shocks for many years. In 2010, the Longmenshan Fault moved towards north from south and separated the Tibet plateau from the Sichuan basin.
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Scenario After Ten Years of 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
The Sichuan earthquake has become the biggest nightmare for Chinese people. Because the instances had remained in the region even after ten years of the China earthquake in 2008. A few of them are as follows -
The city of Beichuan, the most affected region, has been frozen in time since the China earthquake date. The earthquake killed around 87,000 people across Sichuan province.
Being a part of destroyed buildings and schools due to the Sichuan earthquake, a statue has been left after the collapse of the entire school building.
In the same city, Beichuan, everything was buried at Beichuan middle school except a blackboard.
Yingxiu is one of the rebuilt towns after the effect of the china earthquake. It developed much and became a tourist attraction of the country.
Qiang mountain village has around 4000 years of history because of the sunset here. But after the China earthquake date, it lost its glory, and several people died.
Several buildings, schools, dams etc., were damaged very badly and created a great loss to the economy of the Chinese government.
Bottom Lines
The Sichuan earthquake of China in 2008 is the most unfortunate thing that remains the unrecoverable loss of manpower, money, power and other natural resources. It also had many aftershocks for several years. Several buildings collapsed, dams need to be reconstructed. Also, the rivers and lakes were closed due to the destruction of the earth. The earthquake lasts around 90 - 120 seconds. So most of the surrounding regions got affected.
FAQs on Sichuan Earthquake of 2008
1. What was the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake?
The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake was a catastrophic seismic event that occurred in the Sichuan province of China. Registering a magnitude of 8.0 Ms (7.9 Mw), it is also known as the Great Wenchuan Earthquake. It caused immense destruction, resulting in one of the deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century and prompting a massive international relief effort.
2. When and where did the Sichuan earthquake occur?
The Sichuan earthquake struck at 14:28:01 local time on May 12, 2008. The epicentre was located in Wenchuan County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, which is approximately 80 kilometres west-northwest of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.
3. What was the magnitude and depth of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake?
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake had a magnitude of 8.0 on the surface wave magnitude scale (Ms) and 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale (Mw). The earthquake was particularly destructive because its focus was relatively shallow, at a depth of only 19 kilometres (12 miles). A shallow focus allows more of the earthquake's energy to reach the surface, causing more intense shaking and damage.
4. What was the primary geological cause of the Sichuan earthquake?
The primary cause of the Sichuan earthquake was the movement along a major fault line known as the Longmenshan Fault. This fault is located at the edge of the Tibetan Plateau. The earthquake occurred due to the long-term tectonic stress created by the northward push of the Indo-Australian Plate against the Eurasian Plate, which caused the crustal material of the plateau to move eastward and thrust over the stronger Sichuan Basin.
5. What were the immediate human and structural impacts of the earthquake?
The immediate impacts of the Sichuan earthquake were devastating. The key consequences included:
- Fatalities and Injuries: An estimated 69,000 people were officially confirmed dead, with thousands more listed as missing and over 374,000 injured.
- Displacement: The earthquake left approximately 4.8 million people homeless, with some estimates reaching as high as 11 million.
- Structural Damage: Entire towns and villages were destroyed. A significant number of buildings, including over 7,000 schools, collapsed, leading to a major public controversy over construction standards.
6. How did the Sichuan earthquake affect China's economy?
The earthquake had a severe impact on China's economy, particularly in the Sichuan region. The direct economic losses were estimated to be around US$86 billion. The destruction of thousands of factories, businesses, and critical infrastructure like roads and power lines halted economic activity. Furthermore, the Chinese government allocated over 1 trillion yuan (approx. US$147 billion) for rebuilding and recovery efforts, a massive financial undertaking.
7. Why was the 2008 Sichuan earthquake so exceptionally destructive?
Several factors combined to make the Sichuan earthquake exceptionally destructive. Firstly, its high magnitude (8.0 Ms) and shallow depth (19 km) created extremely intense ground shaking. Secondly, the epicentre was in a densely populated mountainous region, leading to catastrophic landslides that buried entire communities. Critically, many buildings were not constructed to adequate seismic standards, a factor that contributed significantly to the high death toll, especially among students in collapsed schools.
8. What were the main challenges during the rescue and relief operations?
Rescue and relief operations faced immense challenges. The region's mountainous terrain, combined with roads destroyed by the quake, made it extremely difficult for rescue teams to reach affected areas. Continuous and strong aftershocks posed a constant threat to both survivors and rescuers. A major secondary threat was the formation of 'quake lakes'—bodies of water created by landslides damming rivers—which threatened to burst and cause downstream flooding.
9. How is the 2008 Sichuan earthquake used as a case study in disaster management?
The Sichuan earthquake is a crucial case study in disaster management for several reasons. It highlights the critical importance of enforcing strict seismic building codes, especially for public buildings like schools and hospitals. It also serves as a model for studying large-scale government response, mobilisation of military and civilian resources, and the management of secondary disasters like landslides and 'quake lakes'. The event spurred significant advancements in China's national emergency response system.
10. What long-term lessons were learned from the Sichuan earthquake regarding preparedness?
The most significant long-term lesson was the undeniable link between poor construction and high casualties. In the aftermath, China initiated a nationwide effort to revise and enforce stricter building codes and retrofitted many existing structures. Another key lesson was the need for improved public awareness and education on earthquake preparedness. The disaster also accelerated research into earthquake prediction and early warning systems within the country.
