Contents 1 The Wenchuan earthquake 001 1.1 Intensity map and damage distribution 005 Intensity map 005 Intensity XI and X zones 011 Strong motion records 015 General trend of earthquake damage 017 1.2 Death toll and economic losses 018 Demography and death toll 018 GDP losses 019 Hardest hit area 021 “Quick and approximate” estimation of casualties 026 1.3 Earthquake damage to buildings 028 Damage to buildings according to structural type 029 Damage to buildings according to age 033 Damage to buildings according to use 034 Lessons learned 036 1.4 Earthquake damage to lifelines 039 Transportation 039 Railway systems 046 Electricity, water supply, sewage and telecommunication 048 “Quake lakes” 052 1.5 Secondary disasters: landslides and rock falls 055 Geomorphology of Wenchuan region 055 Giant landslides 062 Mud flows 064 Rock falls 066 References 069 2 Seismological features 070 2.1 Seismic source parameters for the mainshock 072 Source parameters 072 Focal mechanism 073 Rupture process 077 Co-seismic deformation 080 2.2 Historical earthquakes and aftershocks 084 Historical earthquakes 084 Aftershocks 088 2.3 Geophysical investigations before the earthquake 093 North-South seismic belt 093 Bouguer gravity anomalies 095 Crustal thickness 096 Low-velocity zones 102 2.4 Tectonic setting of Wenchuan earthquake 104 Tibetan Plateau 104 Longmenshan 107 An intracontinental thrust fault 111 Weak crustal layer 113 2.5 Seismic waves generated by earthquake 115 Seismic waves circle the Earth 115 Ground motion felt at Beijing 116 Comparison with waves generated by Tangshan earthquake of 1976 118 References 120 3 Prediction efforts prior to the Wenchuan earthquake 122 3.1 Earthquake monitoring system in China 124 National earthquake monitoring network 124 Other geophysical observations 127 Data processing and analysis procedures 127 3.2 Prediction efforts prior to the Wenchuan earthquake 130 Seismic network of 300 seismometers 132 Big shock, small GPS displacement 132 Seismicity pattern 134 Precursor anomalies 137 3.3 Development of earthquake prediction research in China 140 Severe earthquake disasters in China 140 Organized efforts for earthquake prediction (1966) 143 China Earthquake Administration (CEA) /144 Haicheng earthquake prediction 146 Earthquake Act 150 3.4 Future prospects for earthquake prediction 152 Realistic public expectation of earthquake prediction 152 Why is the prediction effort so persistent? 156 From prediction to mitigation 158 References 159 4 Seismic hazard and risk assessment 160 4.1 Seismic hazard assessment 161 1957—First intensity zoning map of China 163 1977 intensity zoning map of China 163 1990 intensity zoning map of China 164 2001—Latest hazard map of China 165 4.2 Building code 167 Building code (TJ11-78)—effective 1979-1990 168 Building code (GBJ11-89)—effective 1991-2001 170 Building code (GB50011-2001) 170 Importance of complying with the seismic design code 170 4.3 Risk management 172 Quantification of disaster 172 Fortification standards should be increased 174 Earthquake-safe Rural Housing Demonstrations 176 4.4 Did the reservoir impoundment trigger the Wenchuan earthquake? 180 References 184 5 Emergency response and rescue 186 5.1 People-oriented rescue principle 188 Immediate top level government response 188 So long as there was hope, they would never give up 190 Respect for life 196 5.2 Open and transparent relief information 199 Timely, open and transparent information 199 International relief 201 Rescue efforts 204 5.3 The breadth and diversity of donors 206 Donations from countries and regions 206 Donations from NGOs 209 The breadth and diversity of donors 211 5.4 Voluntary contributions 213 An individual voluntary response 215 Rewards of voluntary work 216 Medical volunteers 217 Importance of psychological assistance 218 References 221 6 Reconstruction of Wenchuan 222 6.1 Outline of reconstruction 223 Overall planning 224 Reconstruction objectives 226 Reconstruction funds 227 6.2 Counterpart assistance 229 New mechanism of post-earthquake reconstruction 230 From counterpart assistance to counterpart cooperation 234 6.3 Solid schools, sweet hopes 235 Schools in reconstruction 235 Hospitals and other public facilities 238 6.4 New Wenchuan after the earthquake 241 All be housed 241 Life goes on 242 The main lessons of the earthquake 245 References 247 Appendices 248 Appendix 1 Significant events of Wenchuan earthquake 248 Appendix 2 Wenchuan earthquake sequence catalog 258 Appendix 3 Law of the People’s Republic of China on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters 266 Appendix 4 The Overall Planning for Post-Wenchuan Earthquake Restoration and Reconstruction (Extracts) 267