Assessing Forestry-related Damage Resulting From Wenchuan Earthquake, China

摘要

On 12 May 2008, a magnitude 8 earthquake hit southwest China, with the epicenter located in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. Official casualties included more than 69,000 dead, 18,000 missing, and 370,000 injured. An estimated 5 million people were left homeless. The quake caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with many roads and railroads left impassable, and thousands of buildings damaged beyond repair. The Chinese Government has rightly placed initial priority on emergency relief operations and reconstruction of basic infrastructure. Millions of temporary housing units were rapidly constructed from pre-fab materials to accommodate those whose homes had been destroyed, and strong ongoing efforts are aimed at rebuilding roads, and re-establishing electricity and communication links.