The mountains and rivers are shaking, the earth is a mystery - 15 years after Wenchuan: Can earthquakes be predicted?

This article is provided by

Beijing Municipal Seismological Bureau

Produced in partnership with Planet Research

15 years ago today

Wenchuan earthquake breaks out

Tens of thousands of square kilometers of land

After a few minutes of shaking

The mountains and rivers have changed color and are full of devastation.

(Qushan Town, the old county seat of Beichuan, one of the hardest-hit areas in the Wenchuan earthquake, photographer @朱建国)

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In the following 15 years

The earth in China is still shaking

2010 Yushu Earthquake: 2,698 people killed

196 people died in the 2013 Lushan earthquake

617 people died in the 2014 Ludian earthquake

93 people died in the 2022 Luding earthquake

Globally

The earthquake also mercilessly shows

Huge destructive power

2010 Haiti earthquake killed 160,000 people

Nearly 20,000 people died in the 2011 Japan earthquake

2023 Türkiye earthquake kills more than 50,000 people

(Ruins after the Haiti earthquake, image source: @Visual China)

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Looking back at human history

Earthquakes can be called the "first of all disasters"

Of all the natural disasters since the 20th century,

Earthquakes claimed more than half of the lives

China

It is also the country with the most continental earthquakes in the world.

It is also the country with the highest number of deaths due to earthquakes

Fear of earthquakes

Like a cloud hanging over your head, falling without knowing when

Like the sword of Damocles

Throughout human history

(Please watch horizontally, major earthquake disasters and casualties around the world since the 20th century, map by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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Unfortunately, however

We still can't predict the weather.

Accurately predict the arrival of earthquakes

It is still the most terrible disaster

The most confusing one

Predicting an Earthquake

Why is it so difficult?

Our future

How to deal with the huge disaster brought by earthquake?

(On March 11, 2011, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 occurred near the northeastern coast of Japan, and Kesennuma City was submerged by the tsunami caused by the earthquake. Image source: @Visual China)

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To answer these questions

We need to go back to the 1960s

At that time, China was welcoming

Ten-year period of earthquake activity

Continuous large earthquakes

The land was severely damaged

China's earthquake prediction research

It was at that time that we started off with difficulty.

01

Half the country is shaking

first

We need to understand

The basic mechanism of earthquake occurrence

The surface of the earth we live on

It is composed of large and small plates

The constant movement of plates

Causes deformation of underground rocks

When the accumulated force of deformation exceeds the elastic limit of the rock

The rock suddenly broke and released huge energy

earthquake

It was produced

(Illustration of earthquake principles. Note: In actual earthquakes, the blocks on both sides of the fault move both vertically and horizontally. This diagram only illustrates the horizontal movement. Map by @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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China is squeezed by several major plates.

The two most important earthquake zones in the world

Pacific Rim Seismic Belt, Alpine-Himalayan Seismic Belt

Passing through China from the east and west

China thus became

One of the few countries affected by both major earthquake zones

To make matters worse,

China is located inside the Eurasian Plate

The geological structure is complex and fragmented

This caused frequent earthquakes in the inland areas.

These earthquakes occur within the plate.

It is called an intraplate earthquake.

Since the founding of New China

The Tangshan and Wenchuan earthquakes caused the most casualties

It is among them

(Distribution of earthquake zones in China. Note: The color in the figure indicates the peak acceleration of earthquake motion, in units of gravitational acceleration g. The darker the color, the stronger the earthquake that may be encountered. Map by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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then

China's land area accounts for 1/14 of the world's total

The number of intraplate earthquakes accounts for 1/3 of the world's landmass.

(excluding earthquake data in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan)

More than half of the provinces and regions in the country

All are located in large and small earthquake zones

There is a risk of a magnitude 7 or 8 earthquake

It can be said that

"Half of the country is trembling"

That’s why

China has always been the country most affected by earthquakes

Even more than Japan and Chile, which are known for their frequent earthquakes.

That’s why

On this earth that keeps shaking

People have an extremely urgent need for earthquake prediction

(After the Wenchuan earthquake, the road leading to Yingxiu Town, the epicenter, was destroyed by the earthquake. Photographer @朱建国)

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Now

Let's turn the clock back to

March 1966

At that time, several strong earthquakes hit Xingtai, Hebei Province in succession.

More than 8,000 people died

This is after the founding of New China

The first major earthquake to occur in a densely populated area

The loss was heavy and the whole country was shocked

Premier Zhou Enlai rushed to the disaster area the next day

Thousands of scientific and technical personnel from more than 100 research institutions and universities

Also arriving

Launching a major earthquake prediction campaign

(After the 1966 Xingtai earthquake in Hebei, Premier Zhou Enlai inspected the disaster area. Image source: @Visual China)

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The survey found

There will be some abnormal conditions before an earthquake.

This is

Earthquake Precursors

Just as the ice three feet thick does not freeze overnight

The energy of earthquakes also accumulates over a long period of time.

When a major earthquake is about to occur

As the underground rocks bend and crack

Various geophysical and geochemical indicators

Corresponding changes may occur

And may indirectly cause groundwater, plants and animals, etc.

Abnormalities that are easily perceived by humans

(Some earthquake precursors are shown here, drawn by @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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For example

A well near the epicenter

About a week before the earthquake, the flowers started to bubble up.

The most obvious earthquake precursor

A series of smaller earthquakes occurred in the days before the earthquake.

The highest magnitude was 5.2

Only minor damage to the building

Later, people called this small earthquake before the big earthquake

"Foreshock"

then

People quickly summed up the pattern of Xingtai earthquakes.

That is, there are small earthquakes first, then it turns to calm, and finally a big earthquake occurs.

This is the famous three-stage

Intensive foreshocks - Calm - Main shock arrives

(Sequence of foreshock-calm-mainshock, drawn by @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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It's like a piece of wood before it breaks completely.

It will start to bend first, and then crack into small cracks.

Until it could no longer bear it, it suddenly broke apart.

Rock fractures deep in the earth often begin as a series of small fractures.

Eventually accumulating into a bigger rupture

Using such simple and clear rules

Scientists at the Xingtai earthquake site

Soon, a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.2 was successfully predicted.

Earthquake Prediction in China

A glimmer of hope

(Please watch in horizontal mode, today's Xingtai, Hebei, picture source: @Visual China)

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But after the Xingtai earthquake

More unpredicted earthquakes

Still happening one after another

include

The 1969 7.4 magnitude Bohai earthquake

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Tonghai, Yunnan in 1970

The 7.6 magnitude Luhuo earthquake in Sichuan in 1973

The 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Yongshan, Yunnan in 1974

North and Southwest China

At the same time, turmoil

(After the Tonghai earthquake in Yunnan, the victims held a mobilization meeting in front of the ruins. Image source: @Yunnan Provincial Earthquake Bureau)

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Even with the three-stage summary of earthquake laws

But before the big earthquake

Accurately distinguish foreshocks from other isolated small earthquakes

In the vast sea of ​​precursor information

Filter out the times and places that need special attention

It's never easy

People can only look forward to

The first truly successful major earthquake prediction

Come as soon as possible

02

A miracle that is hard to replicate

June 1974

Facing severe situation

The National Earthquake Bureau held a meeting

Trying to determine where the next earthquake will occur

Compared with the Xingtai earthquake 8 years ago

At this time, China has a more complete precursor observation network

Seismic stations and monitoring points

Build across the country

Pay close attention to the important signals sent by the earth

(Liaoning Dalian Seismological Station, one of the seismological stations built in the early 1970s, photographer @马天旭)

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Before and after

Seismologists in Liaoning found

Jinxian Fault in Liaodong Peninsula

The height difference between the two sides of the ground suddenly changes

This is called "abnormal level" by professionals.

besides

The geomagnetic field in Dalian is abnormal

The water level of Bohai Sea suddenly rises

And clues such as an increase in small earthquakes in southern Liaoning

Let people start to focus on

Liaoning

(Distribution of Haicheng earthquake precursors, drawn by @吴昕恬&松楠/Planetary Research Institute)

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But Liaoning is so large

If an earthquake occurs

Where exactly will the epicenter be?

When will it happen?

In time and space

People need to narrow the circle

End of 1974

Many places in southeastern Liaoning have found

Abnormalities such as groundwater becoming turbid and hibernating animals coming out of their holes

This may indicate

Energy accumulation deep underground

Already approaching the limit

December 22

A 4.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in Liaoyang and Benxi

Is the shoe going to drop so soon?

It doesn't seem to be

Because the signs are still going on

Everyone is on edge.

(This 4.8-magnitude earthquake is believed to have been triggered by the impoundment of a reservoir. The picture below shows the Dahuofang Reservoir in Fushun, Liaoning Province, which is about 90 kilometers away from the Shenwo Reservoir where the earthquake occurred. This is for illustration only. Photographer: @王宇)

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February 1, 1975

Small earthquakes frequently occurred between Haicheng and Yingkou

And it is getting worse

Climax on February 3

The signal to reduce the encirclement appeared

February 4

The small earthquake gradually turned into a calm

Earthquake workers immediately determined that this was the third of the three stages.

The last calm before the big earthquake

From the morning of February 4

Liaoning Province and relevant local departments

Imminent earthquake bulletins are being released

People who got the news put on winter clothes and opened their doors.

Be ready to escape at any time

19:36 on the day

A 7.3-magnitude Haicheng earthquake occurred

(A department store warehouse in Yingkou, Liaoning collapsed in the Haicheng earthquake. Image source: Beijing Earthquake Administration)

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The earthquake destroyed

More than 90% of the houses in Haicheng and Yingkou

More than a thousand people were killed

Without accurate earthquake prediction

and decisive evacuation orders

Tens of thousands of people will likely die.

In a subsequent study, the scientists wrote

So far, the Haicheng earthquake is still

“The world’s first and only documented

At the right moment a few hours before a major earthquake

Examples of evacuation orders being issued for the correct locations"

(The quote is from Chen Qifu's "2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and Earthquake Forecast in China"; the picture below shows the current urban area of ​​Yingkou, Liaoning, one of the earthquake-stricken areas at the time, picture source @Visual China)

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thus

People's confidence in earthquake prediction

Rising like never before

But can such success really be replicated?

Before we truly fully understand the mechanisms behind earthquakes,

What awaits people will be

A bigger failure

First half of 1976

It has been a year since the Haicheng earthquake

People are eager to know

Has the period of frequent major earthquakes in North China ended?

Earthquake workers continue to work hard

Constantly monitoring the signs found in various places

Including Hebei, Tianjin and other places

A large number of anomalies in groundwater radon content, land electricity, geomagnetism, etc.

However

On April 6, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in Horqin, Inner Mongolia.

On April 22, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake occurred in Dacheng, Hebei Province

These two earthquakes were not big or small

Like a smoke bomb thrown by the earth

Once again, it interfered with people's interpretation of the precursor

Some people believe that the above earthquakes can completely correspond to the anomalies discovered previously

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Tangshan earthquake precursors and related small earthquake distribution diagram, map by @吴昕恬&松楠/Planet Research Institute)

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at the same time

People based on their previous “three-stage” experience

It is believed that there will be foreshocks before the big earthquake, which will give clear signals.

However, this foreshock did not occur

At 3 a.m. on July 28, when people were asleep

Disaster Strikes

The 7.8-magnitude Tangshan earthquake

This industrial city with a population of one million

razed to the ground

It claimed the lives of 240,000 people

(Urban ruins after the Tangshan earthquake, image source: @Visual China)

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Optimism about earthquake predictions

Hit the bottom instantly

The lessons of blood and tears have made people realize

**Three-stage method of "foreshock-calm-strong earthquake"**

Not applicable to every earthquake

Accurate interpretation of precursors

It’s more difficult than people think

Before we learn more about the mechanisms of earthquakes

Mature and reliable earthquake prediction

Still just wishful thinking

03

The earthquake actually made a feint to the east and attacked the west

While North China was hit hard

The Southwest is not peaceful either.

Spring 1976

Along the Longmenshan Fault Zone in Sichuan

Well water changes color, fireballs rise in the sky

Or natural gas gushing out from underground

Various abnormal phenomena occurred one after another.

However

After two months of intense tracking

A strong earthquake occurred in Longling, Yunnan.

There was no disturbance near Longmen Mountain in Sichuan

Could it be that an earthquake can also be used to divert attention?

(Show the location of the Longling and Songpan earthquakes and the Longmenshan fault zone, drawn by @吴昕恬&松楠/Planet Research Institute)

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By June

Precursors appear again in the Longmenshan area

There are signs that a major earthquake is coming.

The unrest spread rapidly

Someone set up an earthquake shelter on the streets of Chengdu

Some people fled from the county where there were rumors of a major earthquake.

Some people asked whether the reservoirs were emptied and the factories were shut down.

When the news of the Tangshan earthquake came

It also caused rumors to spread

Later researchers estimated

In 1976

400 million of the 930 million Chinese

Have ever spent the night in a temporary earthquake shelter or on an open space

(In order to prevent earthquakes from damaging houses and causing casualties, it was once popular in areas with earthquake risks to build earthquake-proof sheds with lightweight materials for temporary residence. After the earthquake, because the houses were no longer strong, people were worried about aftershocks and often lived in earthquake-proof sheds. The picture below shows a disaster relief tent after the Ludian earthquake in Yunnan. It functions similarly to an earthquake-proof shed. It is for illustration only. Photographer @车应华)

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Until early August

Abnormal groundwater, restless animals, etc.

Still within hundreds of kilometers north and south of Longmen Mountain

Continuously appearing

This range is too big.

People's judgment on the specific time and location of earthquakes

Still a fog

But the lessons of the Tangshan earthquake

Sichuan Earthquake Prevention and Resistant Headquarters

No more waiting for more definite foreshock signals

Instead, on August 12, a decisive earthquake forecast was issued.

The area with a radius of hundreds of kilometers along the Longmenshan Fault

All on alert

4 days later

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit

41 people were killed

But the epicenter was located in a place where few warning signs had been reported before.

Songpan in Northwest Sichuan is not a key area

Earthquake strikes again

Fortunately

Songpan District has also made certain preparations before

Rescue forces entered the disaster area as soon as possible

Effectively reduced casualties

(Today, Songpan, Sichuan, is a prosperous county town in a beautiful valley. Image source: @Visual China)

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After the Songpan earthquake

The first earthquake-active period in New China is finally fading away

With the advent of reform and opening up

The focus of the nation's attention

It has also shifted to the areas of people's livelihood and economy.

The year is 1995

The numerous signs of the re-emergence of

There may be a risk of strong earthquakes in western Yunnan

July 12

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in Menglian, Yunnan

11 people were killed

Because there was a clear foreshock of magnitude 5.5 before.

This strong earthquake was predicted relatively accurately.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Menglian, Yunnan today, photographer @应浩飞)

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The 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Lijiang, Yunnan in February 1996

Not so lucky.

Because there is a lack of foreshocks and clear precursors

No successful predictions were made

The earthquake severely damaged the beautiful Lijiang Ancient Town

More than 300 people were killed

(Today, the ancient city of Lijiang in Yunnan has developed into a tourist destination. Photographer @刘珠明)

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Since the 1966 Xingtai earthquake

Prediction of dozens of earthquakes

In the end, there are more losses than wins

For humans

The earth is so chaotic

So elusive

04

The chaotic earth

Except China

Seismologists around the world

We are also working hard to explore solutions for earthquake prediction

In particular, attempts to derive information from historical earthquakes in a particular region

Finding patterns

But these efforts also suffered Waterloo

Parkfield, California

Scientists have discovered that earthquakes here are extremely regular

Every 22 years or so

There was an earthquake of magnitude 6.

People have predicted this law

The next earthquake will occur before 1993

But in fact, it was 11 years late.

(The San Andreas Fault in California, which caused the Parkfield earthquake, is one of the most famous active faults in the United States. Image source: @Visual China)

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In Japan

In a trench prone to earthquakes

There is a "blank zone" where earthquakes rarely occur

The East China Sea region in Japan

Some scientists have proposed the theory of "earthquake voids"

It is believed that such blank areas have the potential for larger earthquakes.

So people have been

The "Tokai Earthquake" that only exists in predictions is well-preserved

But the earthquake has not yet arrived

(Japan, where earthquakes occur frequently, is conducting a disaster prevention drill to prepare for possible earthquakes. Image source: Visual China)

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1997

Robert Geller

Published an article in Science magazine

Claiming that "earthquakes cannot be predicted"

This marks the confidence of the international scientific community in earthquake prediction.

Hit the bottom

The core difficulties include

The focal depth can reach tens of kilometers

Far beyond the limits of human detection

Also includes

Earthquake precursors are not obvious to human observers.

Almost random and elusive

Find the correct signal among the vast sea of ​​anomalies

It is even more difficult

(Türkiye earthquake on February 6, 2023. Unpredictable earthquakes still loom like a haze. Image source: Visual China)

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Many precursors are difficult to use effectively

The precursors may be too scattered or last too long.

Or it may be explained by other reasons

It is difficult to determine when and where an earthquake will occur.

If an early warning is issued based on only a few anomalies

It will bring huge costs to social operations

Global seismology community

In such a low confidence

Entering the 21st century

2001

The sparsely populated Kunlun Mountains

An 8.1 magnitude earthquake occurred

But other than that

China was relatively peaceful at the turn of the century

However, the energy of the earth

Already quietly accumulating in more places

(Kunlun Mountain Pass in Qinghai, where a little-known 8.1-magnitude earthquake occurred, but due to the sparse population, the damage was minor. Photographer @倪移同)

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Since 2006

The ground resistivity in Pi County, Sichuan Province has dropped abnormally

The trend is similar to the precursor to the Tangshan earthquake

But things returned to normal in early 2008.

Similar to this

Sichuan, Gansu and some other areas have also seen

Scattered anomalies of groundwater level, water temperature, etc.

But they are too scattered to attract attention

No one knows

The Longmenshan Fault Zone

It has quietly accumulated huge energy

Countdown to the rupture

A huge disaster is about to happen

(Please watch in horizontal mode. The Minjiang River flows through the Longmenshan fault zone. The mountains on both sides of the canyon are steep and there are dense landslides. These are traces left by violent geological movements. Photographer: @刘少宇)

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Strong earthquakes along this fault in history

All occurred on the west side of the northern section

This is what happened with the Songpan earthquake

In contrast

The middle section of Wenchuan

There is a lack of records of strong earthquakes exceeding magnitude 7.

Here

The horizontal movement rate of the fracture is less than 1 mm per year

The vertical movement speed is only about 2 mm per year.

Lower than most active faults that cause earthquakes

It is a very "quiet" break

(Longmen Mountain after the snow in Pengzhou, Sichuan, photographer @墨山)

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The interval between strong earthquakes can be more than a thousand years.

Beyond the history of human earthquake observation

Therefore, in the medium and long term forecast

People did not make

Judgment on the Possibility of a Strong Earthquake near Wenchuan

In this fog

We still can't forget it, and we are always frightened every time we think of it.

Wenchuan Earthquake

Arrived suddenly

(The earthquake site of the old Beichuan County, the city was frozen on May 12, 2008, photographer @苏凌汉)

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After the earthquake, people realized

The middle section of the Longmenshan fault that gave rise to the Wenchuan earthquake

Entered the "locked" stage before the earthquake

This means that beneath the surface

Huge energy is accumulating

Like a spring compressed to near its limit

In retrospective studies, people speculated that

The abnormal phenomena mentioned above, such as ground resistivity and groundwater

Perhaps it was a precursor to the Wenchuan earthquake.

Unusual animal activity before an earthquake

and abnormal changes in electromagnetic fields

It is also believed to be related to the Wenchuan earthquake.

(Xuankou Middle School in Yingxiu Town, Wenchuan, collapsed in the earthquake, photographer @李贞泰)

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Unfortunately

Due to the Longmenshan fault zone

A fatal miscalculation of long-term earthquake trends

We did not understand the warnings from the land

In the subsequent analysis

People are also confused by the complexity and confusion of the signs.

Even if we catch the signs in advance

It is almost impossible to draw reliable conclusions

Humanity faces earthquakes

Is there really nothing that can be done?

05

The dawn of earthquake resistance

From the 1960s to the present

Earthquake prediction has gone through half a century

Scientists in China and around the world have had brief successes

But more failures

Human confidence in earthquake prediction has also experienced

Huge ups and downs from peak to trough

Earthquake prediction work started from the Xingtai earthquake

After the success of Haicheng Earthquake

It was quickly hit by the failure of the Tangshan earthquake.

And fell into a trough after the Wenchuan earthquake

The underground world is unknown

But in the world on earth

We still have many directions to work on.

(Illustration of changes in earthquake prediction confidence and earthquake fortification standards. This figure mainly shows the situation in China. The major countries in the world have gone through similar processes over the past half century, but at different key time nodes. Map by @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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With the development of social economy

and the accumulation of experience from earthquakes

my country's standards for earthquake-resistant buildings are constantly improving

Various disaster prevention technologies are also booming

And all these advances

Bringing more hope to life

Based on the experience of previous earthquakes

Most of the casualties came from collapsed buildings.

We need to design the framework structure reasonably

Use high-standard materials and construction methods

Make buildings stronger against earthquakes

(Yingxiu Central Primary School after the Wenchuan earthquake, most of the buildings were razed to the ground, causing a large number of casualties, photographer @朱建国)

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Bailu Middle School in Pengzhou is a representative example.

A group of buildings with strict quality assurance

Standing tall amidst the ruins

Saved the lives of hundreds of teachers and students

Since the Wenchuan earthquake

my country continues to improve the earthquake resistance standards of buildings

The coverage of earthquake-resistant buildings will also be

Expanding to more and more regions

From big cities to rural areas

Especially for buildings such as schools and hospitals

Highest earthquake resistance requirements

In the future, facing earthquakes

We will have a larger safe space

(Bailu Middle School in Pengzhou, Sichuan. The ground in front of the teaching building was dislocated by the Wenchuan earthquake, forming a height difference of about 3 meters. However, the buildings on both sides remained standing, and no teachers or students were injured or killed. Image source: @Beijing Earthquake Administration, map by @Hanqing/Planet Research Institute)

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In addition to the collapsed buildings

There are still a considerable number of casualties in the earthquake.

Secondary disasters caused by earthquakes

Especially landslides, mud-rock flows, etc.

Wenchuan Earthquake

The highest number of deaths at a single location

Beichuan County

Almost one-third of the urban area

Buried by landslides from the mountains on both sides

Beichuan County after the earthquake

The whole group was relocated to the plain outside Longmen Mountain

Actively avoid geologically fragile and disaster-prone areas

(The new county seat of Beichuan is located in Yongchang Town in the plain in front of Longmen Mountain. It has a flat and open terrain. It is the only county seat rebuilt in a different place after the Wenchuan earthquake. Image source: @Visual China)

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Ningxia Yinchuan, also located in an earthquake zone, is preparing for a rainy day.

Determine the direction of active faults in advance

The area within 100 meters on both sides of the active fault

Designated as green space

Surface rupture caused by an earthquake

Often extends along active faults

As long as you leave the fracture a small distance

You can avoid the worst losses

Such urban planning

It can minimize the damage to roads and houses caused by earthquakes

(Ningxia Yinchuan Earthquake Park, located above an active fault in the urban area, photographer @刘思尧)

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We have also built a network covering several provinces

Earthquake Early Warning System

In recent years, it has frequently appeared on the screen in Sichuan earthquake news.

Different from earthquake prediction

The purpose of earthquake warning is not to predict the arrival of an earthquake in advance

It's about saving more lives after an earthquake.

Electronic signals travel at the speed of light

More than 100,000 times faster than earthquake waves

Relying on dense seismic networks and sensitive algorithms

We were within ten seconds of the earthquake.

Early warning can be issued to affected areas

Save precious seconds to tens of seconds

For emergency escape

Or emergency disposal of high-risk facilities such as nuclear power plants and high-speed railways

(Schematic diagram of earthquake early warning principle, drawn by @Hanqing/Planetary Research Institute)

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in addition

Although it is impossible to make accurate short-term forecasts

But by studying the laws of fault activity

We can make predictions about long-term trends

Guiding the planning and construction of large-scale projects

(The newly built expressway passes through the earthquake-prone mountainous area in western Sichuan, photographer @姜曦)

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The road to the top of science is always painful and long.

The road to the pinnacle of earthquake prediction science

It is destined to be filled with blood and tears

The power of human beings

It is the tenacity of never giving up in the face of adversity

It is the countless people who have come one after another

Advancing earthquake science and disaster prevention technology

Keep moving forward

One day

The shadow of the earthquake will dissipate

No more blood, tears and fear

(May 13, 2008, Dujiangyan Juyuan Middle School, a father tightly held his son's tender hand covered with mud and sand, as if he wanted to pull his son's precious life back from the hands of death, photographer @朱建国)

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This article was created by

Text: Li Chuyang Photos: Zhang Zhaohai

Design: Hanqing Map: Wu Xintian & Song Nan

Reviewer: Wang Luzhi & Yunwu Kongcheng & Chen Zhihao

Cover image source: Lee Jung-tae & Visual China

The cover photo of the article was taken at the Yingxiu Epicenter Memorial Hall of the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake

Audit Expert

Liu Guiping, researcher and deputy director of Beijing Municipal Seismological Bureau

Xing Chengqi, Second Level Researcher of Beijing Municipal Seismological Bureau

Special thanks

Beijing Municipal Seismological Bureau

Yunnan Provincial Seismological Bureau

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