Sichuan Earthquake

Question 1

What was the date and time of the sichuan earthquake?

Answer 1

12th May 2008

14:28

Question 2

What was the magnitude of the sichuan earthquake? How powerful were the largest aftershocks?

Answer 2

7.9 on the Richter Scale. Some aftershocks measured 6.

Question 3

how deep was the focus of the sichuan earthquake

Answer 3

10km very shallow

Question 4

How far was the epicentre of the sichuan earthquake from the nearest city?

Answer 4

92km for Chengdu

Question 5

how many years had it been since the last earthquake in sichuan

Answer 5

75

Question 6

Name the fault line along which the rupturing occurred, causing the earthquake. Sichuan

Answer 6

longmenshan

Question 7

Describe the geology of the Sichuan Basin. How did this contribute to the impact of the earthquake?

Answer 7

unconsolidated so the ground was prone to liquefaction

Question 8

What was the official death toll? What is the likely actual death toll? Sichuan

Answer 8

70k

87k

Question 9

How many people were made homeless after the sichuan earthquake?

Answer 9

5 million

Question 10

How many buildings collapsed in sichuan

Answer 10

21 million

Question 11

how many people died in collapsed school buildings? Why? Sichuan

Answer 11

11,000

because it occurred in the earl afternoon when children were at school and school wasn’t earthquake proof

Question 12

give at least one example of the impact on transport infrastructure in sichuan

Answer 12

5,000km of roads destroyed or damaged, several bridges damaged, railways destroyed by landslides, Chengdu Airport closed

Question 13

give at least one example of public service buildings that were destroyed in sichuan

Answer 13

hospital

Question 14

How many farm animals died in sichuan

Answer 14

32 million

Question 15

What caused the release of toxic gas in Shifang?

Answer 15

two chemical factories

Question 16

Why was flooding a problem after the sichuan earthquake

Answer 16

Rivers were damned by landslides creating 34 ‘quake lakes’- which threatened to break

Question 17

How many rescue workers were killed in landslides in the aftermath of the sichuan earthquake

Answer 17

158

Question 18

When had a seismic building design code been introduced? Why did many buildings not conform to the code? Sichuan

Answer 18

1976, many building were constructed before this

Question 19

although the emergency response was rapid what hampered rescue efforts? Sichuan

Answer 19

mountainous terrain, damaged roads and bridges

Question 20

how many troops were deployed to help in sichuan

Answer 20

240,000

Question 21

how many residents were evacuated in sichuan

Answer 21

250,00

Question 22

Give an example to show how quickly roads in the area were repaired in sichuan

Answer 22

By June roads to 248 out of 254 were back in use

Question 23

Did China ask for help to cope with the impacts of the quake?

Answer 23

Yes (unusually), foreign governments (Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Russia) and NGOs (Red Cross) sent aid

Question 24

Give at least one example of help given by the Chinese people.

Answer 24

100,000 people volunteered to help, they donated $1.5 billion, blood was also donated

Question 25

How has the chinese government responded to the widespread failure of schools to withstand the earthquake?

Answer 25

crack down on how schools were designed

Question 26

Why has the town of Beishuan still not been rebuilt? What has happened to the population?

Answer 26

Half the population died and 80% of the buildings collapsed, so it has been left as a memorial to those killed. The remaining population have been rehoused in a neighbouring town.

Question 27

What’s the link between the earthquake and China’s one-child-policy?

Answer 27

The policy was relaxed in Sichuan after the earthquake as many parents had lost their only child

Question 28

The 3 Ps are the key to reducing the impact of earthquakes. What do the 3 Ps stand for?

Answer 28

prediction
protection
prevention

Question 29

Give three features of an earthquake proof (life-safe) building design.

Answer 29

Rubber shock-absorbers at the base to, computer-controlled weights on the roof to reduce movement, interlocking steel frame (cross-bracing), automatic window shutters to prevent falling glass.

Question 30

How can school children and the public be prepared for future earthquakes?

Answer 30

regular earthquake drills