1. Sichuan Earthquake, China 12th May 2008, 2:30pm
Causes, primary & secondary effects, short term & long term responses

2. Location & Cause
Indian Plate collides into Eurasian Plate (vel. c 50mm/yr) – destructive collision
12th May 2008, 2:30pm
Epicentre was 90km north-west of Chengdu, Sichuan
7.9 Richter scale, tremors lasted 120 seconds
1.5km of surface faults were observed

3. The affected area
KEY IDEA: Sichuan Province – this is predominantly a rural area. China is a vast country. It is argued that its government neglects its rural areas – NO warning for the people in Sichuan- led to a severely high death toll.

4. Primary Effects 70,000 dead, 20,000 missing, 400,000 injured
50 million people affected, 15 million evacuated
5 million buildings collapsed, 21 million damaged, 5 million homeless in Sichuan
8 schools were toppled

5. Secondary Effects: Fractured Dams
3,000 dams fractured threatening 700,000 people downstream

6. Secondary Effects: Quake Lakes

7. Secondary Effects: Economic Cost
Economic loss estimated at US$86 billion

8. Short-Term Responses
Government mobilised 80,000 troops, due to mountainous terrain some troops had to be parachuted in
Troops used explosives and even missiles to blast channels to relieve the water pressure building up in Tangjiashan - the largest of the lakes caused by the earthquake and its aftershocks.

9. Long-Term Responses
95 billion yuan given by Chinese government to relief fund
Areas of Sichuan are still not redeveloped
29 billion yuan required for local economy to recover
Media coverage in China and around the world was handled carefully so not to show China in a bad light in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics