May 12 in History
2008 - Devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake in China’s Sichuan province leaves more than 69,000 people dead
Measuring at 8.0 Ms (7.9 Mw), the earthquake occurred in the province of Sichuan, China at 14:28:01 China Standard Time on this day in 2008, killing over 69,000 people, including 68,636 in Sichuan province, injuring over 374,176 and 18,222 listed as missing as of July 2008.
The earthquake left at least 4.8 million people homeless, though the number could be as high as 11 million. Approximately 15 million people lived in the affected area.
With the epicentre located 80 kilometres (50 mi) west-northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital, and a focal depth of 19 km (12 mi), the earthquake ruptured the fault for over 240 km (150 mi), with surface displacements of several metres.
It was felt as far away as both Beijing and Shanghai—1,500 and 1,700 km (930 and 1,060 mi) away, respectively—where office buildings swayed with the tremor, as well as Bangkok, Thailand and Hanoi, Vietnam.
Strong aftershocks, some exceeding 6 Ms, continued to hit the area up to several months after the main shock, causing further casualties and damage.
The earthquake also caused the largest number of geohazards ever recorded, including about 200,000 landslides and more than 800 quake lakes distributed over an area of 110,000 km2 (42,000 sq mi).
The geohazards triggered by the earthquake are thought to be responsible for at least one-third of the death toll.
It was the deadliest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed at least 242,000 people, and the strongest in the country since the 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake, which registered at 8.6 Mw.
–Wikipedia
Photo Caption – The Miaoziping Bridge of Dujiangyan –Wenchuan Expressway was damaged in the earthquake – Wikipedia
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