The Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan Province

At 14:28 on May 12, 2008, an earthquake of a magnitude 8.0 hit Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. It was the most destructive in China since the 1950s, affecting the widest areas and posing the greatest difficulties for rescue. There were more than 30,000 aftershocks, impacting neighboring Gansu, Shaanxi and Chongqing and six other provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. The disaster-hit areas extended over 500,000 square km and 46.25 million people were affected. 

The earthquake took 69,227 lives, and left 17,923 missing. More than 15 million people had to be evacuated. The deadly disaster left thousands of homes in ruins, destroyed massive infrastructure, caused huge industrial and agricultural production losses, and severely damaged the eco-environment. The direct losses were no less than 845 billion yuan. The quake also caused unprecedented consequent earth collapses, landslides, mud-rock flows, and barrier lakes.

In the face of the worst ever disaster, the CPC led the whole country and the army in a most efficient rescue and relief operation. It was the widest in scope of mobilization and had the greatest scale of input in China's history. The authorities tried their best to save as many lives as possible and keep losses to the minimum. The entire nation demonstrated a spirit that can be generalized as "uniting as one, persevering in surmounting difficulties, putting people first, and acting in a planned and rational way."

The international community also offered sincere sympathy and provided aid and support of various kinds, expressing humanity and friendship toward the Chinese people.

Reconstruction began quickly in the aftermath of the earthquake. It followed the principles of people-first, respecting nature, and a holistic science-based approach, and brought rejuvenation to the worst-hit regions.

四川汶川特大地震

2008年5月12日14時28分，四川省汶川縣（北緯31度，東經103.4度）發生地震。這是新中國成立以來破壞性最強、波及范圍最廣、救災難度最大的一次地震，震級達里氏8級，最大烈度達11度，余震3萬多次，涉及四川、甘肅、陜西、重慶等10個省、區、市。地震災區總面積約50萬平方公里、受災群眾4625萬多人，其中極重災區、重災區面積13萬平方公里，造成69227人遇難、17923人失蹤，1510萬受災群眾需緊急轉移安置。地震災區房屋大量倒塌損壞，基礎設施大面積損毀，工農業生產遭受重大損失，生態環境遭到嚴重破壞，直接經濟損失8451億多元。地震引發的崩塌、滑坡、泥石流、堰塞湖等次生災害舉世罕見。

面對空前慘烈的災難，中國共產黨團結帶領全國軍民，組織開展了中國歷史上救援速度最快、動員范圍最廣、投入力量最大的抗震救災斗爭，最大限度地挽救了受災群眾生命，最大限度地減低了災害造成的損失，奪取了抗震救災斗爭重大勝利，凝聚起“萬眾一心、眾志成城，不畏艱險、百折不撓，以人為本、尊重科學”的抗震救災精神。在抗震救災中，國際社會表達真誠同情和慰問，提供了各種形式的支持和援助，充分體現出崇高的人道主義精神和對中國人民的友好情誼。

災后，中國按照以人為本、尊重自然、統籌兼顧、科學重建的原則，迅速組織開展恢復重建工作。在中共中央堅強領導下，全國人民大力支援，災區人民艱苦奮斗，災后恢復重建發展取得重大成就。