On 12th May 2008, at 2:28pm, the Szechuan earthquake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, shook the entire Szechuan Province, a mountainous region in Western China. The quake's epicentre was located within Wenchuan Country, 80 kilometres west-northwest of Chengdu, the capital of Szechuan, with a depth of 19 kilometres. The surrounding area, such as Shanxi province, Gansu province and Chongqing city were also adversely affected by the large magnitude quake. Since the Great Szechuan Earthquake is often labelled as "China's deadliest natural disaster in a generation" (Dessianing, 2008), it has definitely garnered much media coverage throughout the world.
Effects of the Sichuan Earthquake
Casualties: 68,712
Missing: 17,921
Injured: 374,643
Left almost 5 million people homeless
Beichuan - an estimated 80% of buildings in the old town and 60% in the new town have been destroyed
More than 7,000 collapsed schoolrooms
420,000 homes destroyed in Qingchuan County, Sichuan, following two aftershocks on Thesday May 27
Rescue methods (Local)
Rescue response was rapid
- China's Health Ministry said that it had sent ten emergency medical teams to Wen chuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province. On the same day. China's Chengdu Military Area Command dispatched 50,000 troops and armed police to help with disaster relief work in Wenchuan County.
(Rough terrain and close proximity of the quake's epicenter, the soliers found it very difficult to get help to the rural regions of the province)
- Red Cross Society of China provided tents medical supplies, drinking water and food, and cash (donated by interational efforts)
Links for video showing damage of earthquake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suC0G2XbHmA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-_KGrcYlw4
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