On May 12th 2008, a devastating earthquake stroke Sichuan killing an estimated 70 000 people, and leaving close to 5 million homeless. The catastrophe triggered a nationwide solidarity effort. Among the dead were a disproportionate number of schoolchildren and students due to the poor construction quality of many schools in the region.

The ruins of Beichuan the hardest hit city. Beichuan will not be rebuilt and will be turned into a memorial to the earthquake that killed, according to official counts, 70 000 people on May 12th, 2008. Built in in a narrow valley on a fault line, th
The dead bodies of 3 students at Beichuan high school. They died together. 1400 students from that school perished that day. The official toll is 800. The poor building quality of schools buildings in the earthquake region explain the high number of
A mother waiting for the rescuers to find her 15 years old daughter in the ruins of Beichuan middle school.
The dead body of a student at Beichuan middle school is being carried away, his face covered with a physics text book.
At Beichuan middle school, a tearful and angry father showing the bricks of the school that collapsed. He is blaming the poor quality of the construction for the collapse of the school. Official investigation concluded that the earthquake alone was
Bodies of the victims of the earthquake are lined up in a courtyard behind Beichuan middle school before being taken away. They are spread with disinfectant.
To bury the many victims of Hongbai, soldiers have digged graves on the hills overlooking the city.
A man wandering through Beichuan in ruins, crying.
At the village of Luo Shui in the plain of Chengdu, inhabitants are receiving water and food from volunteers. The locals have survived for 3 days with one bottle of water each, before receiving aid from the outside. The earthquake triggered a huge s
A survivor from the earthquake is brought in by P.L.A. soldiers.
Li Qing Song is being taken out of the building alive by a team of rescuers from Henan province. He has spent 104 hours buried under the debris of the workers club where the eartquake caught him.
Li Qing Song is being taken into an ambulance.
Back to life, back to the chat room. 36 hours after his rescue and spending 4 days trapped in the debris of a collapsed building, Li Qing Song (right) his back with his family. He is chatting online with a net friend next to his brother (left) his a
A boxing ring inside Mianyang stadium has been turned into a temporary dormitory for Beichuan earthquake refugees. Up to 20 000 people have used the stadium as a refuge. The outbreak of diseases was successfully prevented.
At Mianyang stadium, a temporary shelter for earthquake refugees from Beichuan, a woman is hlding her baby. She, has been living in the stadium for 3 days. She along her husband and child have survived the earthquake, but have lost their house and w
On the second day of the earthquake National mourning, Chengdu youth spontaneously demonstrate, walking around  Chengdu people's square, shouting "China stand up, Sichuan stand up", waving Chinese and communist flags, and lifting their fists in
At Longju Temple the Buddha keeps smiling amid the ruins.
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