Sichuan earthquake of 2008 | Overview, Damage, & Facts

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href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content " data-topic-id="1436631"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008">Sichuan earthquake of 2008</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/166941-050-594F0534/Yingxiu-school-China-Sichuan-earthquake-May-2008.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1436631/230660" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/166941-004-D05C0FB2/Yingxiu-school-China-Sichuan-earthquake-May-2008.jpg" alt="Sichuan earthquake of 2008" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-050-E19F67A8/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1436631/181558" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-004-3F3B6E1D/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg" alt="Sichuan earthquake of 2008" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-050-1BCDE0EA/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1436631/246694" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-004-4B085A60/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg" alt="Sichuan earthquake damage" height="50" /> </a> <a href="" data-href="/media/1/1436631/304424" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/13/257713-049-C13390ED/Notable-Earthquakes-in-History.jpg" alt="Explore notable earthquakes in history." height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/disasters-of-historic-proportion"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/93649-131-FB06761E/Satellite-image-sea-surface-temperatures-display-Hurricane-Aug-27-2005.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/disasters-of-historic-proportion" >Disasters of Historic Proportion</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-are-the-major-ethnic-groups-in-China">What are the major ethnic groups in China?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Why-is-an-earthquake-dangerous">Why is an earthquake dangerous?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-are-earthquake-waves">What are earthquake waves?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/How-is-earthquake-magnitude-measured">How is earthquake magnitude measured?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Where-do-earthquakes-occur">Where do earthquakes occur?</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/6-deadliest-earthquakes"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/166941-131-E27FD3A6/Yingxiu-school-China-Sichuan-earthquake-May-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="earthquake. 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massive earthquake, May 2008.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Sichuan earthquake of 2008</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">China</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="1436631"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.tectonics.caltech.edu/outreach/highlights/2008MayChinaEQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">California Institute of Technology - Sichuan Earthquake of 2008</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Great Wenchuan Earthquake, Wenchuan Da Dizhen, Wenchuan Earthquake, Wenchuan dizhen</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/Kenneth-Pletcher/6746" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Kenneth Pletcher</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Ken Pletcher was Senior Editor, Geography and History for Encyclopædia Britannica. He holds an M.A. in Japanese studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As part of his master's program,...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Kenneth Pletcher</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/John-P-Rafferty/6747" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">John P. Rafferty</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> John P. Rafferty</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also called: </dt> <dd>Wenchuan earthquake or Great Wenchuan Earthquake</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Chinese: </dt> <dd>Wenchuan dizhen or Wenchuan Da Dizhen</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Date: </dt> <dd>May 12, 2008 </dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Location: </dt> <dd><a href="/place/China">China</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Sichuan">Sichuan</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Sichuan-earthquake-of-2008"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1053105"></span>Sichuan earthquake of 2008</strong>, massive and enormously devastating <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/earthquake-geology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">earthquake</a> that occurred in the mountainous central region of <span id="ref1077451"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sichuan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sichuan</a> province in southwestern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/China" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">China</a> on May 12, 2008. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/epicentre" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">epicentre</a> of the magnitude-7.9 quake (measured as magnitude 8.0 by the Chinese) was located near the city of Dujiangyan, about 50 miles (80 km) west-northwest of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Chengdu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Chengdu</a>, the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="provincial" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/provincial" data-type="EB">provincial</a> capital, at a depth of 11.8 miles (19 km) below the surface.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="181558" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-050-E19F67A8/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/1436631/181558"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-050-E19F67A8/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-050-E19F67A8/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg?w=300" alt="Sichuan earthquake of 2008" data-width="1600" data-height="1219" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/166857-050-E19F67A8/Map-Sichuan-province-shaking-China-intensity-earthquake-May-12-2008.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1436631/181558">Sichuan earthquake of 2008</a><span>Map of Sichuan province, China, depicting the intensity of the shaking caused by the earthquake of May 12, 2008.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">The quake was caused by the collision of the Indian-Australian and Eurasian plates along the 155-mile- (249-km-) long <span id="ref1177862"></span>Longmenshan Fault, a thrust <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fault-geology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fault</a> in which the stresses produced by the northward-moving Indian-Australian plate shifted a portion of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Plateau-of-Tibet" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Plateau of Tibet</a> eastward. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/compression" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Compressional forces</a> brought on by this shift sheared the ground in two locations along the fault, thrusting the ground upward by approximately 29 feet (about 9 metres) in some places. Numerous <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/aftershock-geology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">aftershocks</a> occurred in the days, months, and years that followed, including a magnitude-5.0 event that struck Chengdu in May 2010. The Longmenshan Fault runs southwest to northeast along the eastern side of the Longmen Mountains (Longmen Shan) and separates the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Plateau" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Plateau" data-type="EB">Plateau</a> of Tibet from the flat <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sichuan-Basin" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sichuan Basin</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The May 2008 quake flattened some four-fifths of the structures in the affected area. Whole villages and towns in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/mountain-landform" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mountains</a> were destroyed, and many schools collapsed. Almost 90,000 people were counted as dead or missing and presumed dead in the final official Chinese government assessment; the officially reported total killed included more than 5,300 children, the bulk of them students attending classes. In addition, nearly 375,000 people were injured by falling debris and building collapses. Hundreds of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/dam-engineering" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">dams</a>, including two major ones, were found to have sustained damage. Some 200 relief workers were reported to have died in mudslides in the affected area, where damming of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/river" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rivers</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/lake" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">lakes</a> by rocks, mud, and earthquake debris made flooding a major threat until workers could open channels to drain the impounded <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/water" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">water</a>.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/disasters-of-historic-proportion" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/49/93649-131-FB06761E/Satellite-image-sea-surface-temperatures-display-Hurricane-Aug-27-2005.jpg" alt="Warm water fuels Hurricane Katrina. This image depicts a 3-day average of actual dea surface temperatures for the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, from August 25-27, 2005." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Disasters of Historic Proportion</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="246694" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-050-1BCDE0EA/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/1436631/246694"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-050-1BCDE0EA/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-050-1BCDE0EA/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg?w=300" alt="Sichuan earthquake damage" data-width="1600" data-height="1200" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/87/199687-050-1BCDE0EA/Sichuan-China-earthquake-damage-2008.jpg" data-href="/media/1/1436631/246694">Sichuan earthquake damage</a><span>Heavy rains, rock falls, and mud covered roads hindered rescue and recovery operations after the Sichuan earthquake.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">China’s government quickly <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="deployed" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deployed" data-type="MW">deployed</a> 130,000 soldiers and other relief workers to the stricken area, but the damage from the earthquake made many remote villages difficult to reach, and the lack of modern rescue equipment caused delays that might have contributed to the number of deaths. After a few days China asked for outside help. One week after the temblor, China declared three days of official mourning for the earthquake victims.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Millions of people were made homeless by the quake, the cost of which was estimated at $86 billion. Repair and rebuilding of housing and <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="infrastructure" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infrastructure" data-type="MW">infrastructure</a> in the affected areas were soon under way, though progress was slow in the remoter locations. Strong quakes again shook the region in August and September 2008, though they caused considerably less destruction and loss of life.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="mb-20"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="304424" data-asm-type="infogram"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="infogram"><script id="infogram_0__/SXuKxNuUpt3Ucmocj22o" src="https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed.js?Itp" type="text/javascript" title="Explore notable earthquakes in history."></script></div></figure></div></div><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Several issues emerged in the aftermath of the disaster. One concerned a debate in the scientific <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="community" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/community" data-type="MW">community</a> as to whether the large weight of water impounded by a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/reservoir" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">reservoir</a> situated near the epicentre of the quake could have helped trigger the temblor. Also, there was much discussion regarding allegations that shoddy construction was to blame for the catastrophic collapse of so many school buildings in the affected areas. Many questioned the official death toll given for children, stating that it was too low.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A magnitude-6.6 earthquake struck the region nearly five years later, on April 20, 2013. The epicentre of that quake was also located on the Longmenshan Fault, about 53 miles (85 km) south-southwest of the epicentre of the 2008 event and some 19 miles (30 km) north-northeast of the city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Yaan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ya’an</a>. More than 200 people died and at least 13,000 were injured from falling <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="debris" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/debris" data-type="EB">debris</a> and structural collapses caused by the quake.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/Kenneth-Pletcher/6746">Kenneth Pletcher</a></span> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/John-P-Rafferty/6747">John P. 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Sichuan earthquake of 2008 | Overview, Damage, & Facts | Britannica