Sichuan (China) Earthquake Case Study

Question 1

When did this earthquake occur?

Answer 1

12th May 2008 at 2:28pm

Question 2

What was the magnitude of the earthquake?

Answer 2

7.9

Question 3

Where was the epicentre?

Answer 3

Near the city of Dujiangyan

Question 4

How deep was the hypocentre? Shallow or deep focus?

Answer 4

19km deep
Shallow focus

Question 5

How large was the population in the area?

Answer 5

43 million

Question 6

What was the average annual income per capita in the region?

Answer 6

500 EUR

Question 7

What other factors affected vulnerability?

Answer 7

• Corrupt government
• Poor infrastructure - mainly made of adobe and masonry not reinforced steel
• Large population
  -Geology of land
  -major fracking industries

Question 8

How many school children died? Why?

Answer 8

5335 children
Schools collapsed

Question 9

How many people died in total?

Answer 9

69, 227

Question 10

What fraction of deaths were caused by landslides?

Answer 10

1/4

Question 11

How many were made homeless?

Answer 11

5-11 million

Question 12

How many building were destroyed?

Answer 12

Around 8 million

Question 13

What worth of property damage occured?

Answer 13

845.1 billion Chinese Yuan

Question 14

What was the total cost of damage to the economy?

Answer 14

$86-150 billion

Question 15

How many soldiers and relief workers were sent in repsonse?

Answer 15

130 000

Question 16

How many temporary houses were built for the homeless?

Answer 16

1 million

Question 17

How much money was donated by the Red Cross in the fortnight after?

Answer 17

£100 million

Question 18

How many tents, quilts and items of clothing were distributed by the Red Cross Society of China?

Answer 18

150 000 tents
125 000 quilts
245 000 items of clothing