[2008-05-19] We mourn for the victims in the massive earthquake
A massive earthquake struck the eastern Sichuan Province of central China on Monday afternoon(local time) May 12, 2008. The magnitude 8.0 earthquake killed 32,477people until May 18, injured thousands more and thousands more were trapped under the rubble of collaped building. More than 50,000 people were injured by the massive earthquake.
Epicenter: 31.015°N, 103.365°E, in the Wenchuan county of the eastern region of the Sichuan Province, about 99km(55 miles) WNW of Chengdu and 1545km(960miles) SW of Beijing.
Magnitude: Mw 8.0 USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Focal Depth: 10km(6.2miles)
Reason: The earthquake occurred as the result of motion on a northeast striking reverse fault or thrust fault on the northwestern margin of the Sichuan Basin. On a continental scale, the seismicity of central and eastern Asia is a result of northward convergence of the India plate against the Eurasia plate with a velocity of about 50 mm/y. The convergence of the two plates is broadly accommodated by the uplift of the Asian highlands and by the motion of crustal material to the east away from the uplifted Tibetan Plateau.
