The Wenchuan Earthquake of 2008 Anatomy of a Disaster gives a detailed account of the damage, seismology and tectonics of the event and discusses earthquake prediction, seismic hazard and risk management, the creation and implementation of building codes, and new practices used in rescue,relief and reconstruction. It will be of significant interest to researchers and practitioners engaged in seismology, geophysics, engineering, the social sciences, and disaster management and recovery. It also offers a valuable new and unique Chinese perspective with many insights for future mitigation of earthquake risk.

1 The Wenchuan earthquake

 1.1 Intensity map and damage distribution

Intensity map

Intensity XI and X zones

Strong motion records

General trend of earthquake damage

 1.2 Death toll and economic losses

Demography and death toll

GDP losses

Hardest hit area

"Quick and approximate" estimation of casualties

 1.3 Earthquake damage to buildings

Damage to buildings according to structural type

Damage to buildings according to age

Damage to buildings according to use

Lessons learned

 1.4 Earthquake damage to lifelines

Transportation

Railway systems

Electricity, water supply, sewage and telecommunication

"Quake lakes"

 1.5 Secondary disasters: landslides and rock falls

Geomorphology of Wenchuan region

Giant landslides

Mud flows

Rock falls

 References

2 Seismological features

 2.1 Seismic source parameters for the mainshock

Source parameters

Focal mechanism

Rupture process

Co-seismic deformation

 2.2 Historical earthquakes and aftershocks

Historical earthquakes

Aftershoeks

 2.3 Geophysical investigations before the earthquake

North-South seismic belt

Bouguer gravity anomalies

Crustal thickness

Low-velocity zones

 2.4 Tectonic setting of Wenchuan earthquake

Tibetan Plateau

Longmenshan

An intracontinental thrust fault

Weak crustal layer

 2.5 Seismic waves generated by earthquake

Seismic waves circle the Earth

Ground motion felt at Beijing

Comparison with waves generated by Tangshan earthquake

of 1976

 References

3 Prediction efforts prior to the Wenchuan earthquake

 3.1 Earthquake monitoring system in China

National earthquake monitoring network

Other geophysical observations

Data processing and analysis procedures

 3.2 Prediction efforts prior to the Wenchuan earthquake

Seismic network of 300 seismometers

Big shock, small GPS displacement

Seismicity pattern

Precursor anomalies

 3.3 Development of earthquake prediction research in China

Severe earthquake disasters in China

Organized efforts for earthquake prediction (1966)

China Earthquake Administration (CEA)

Haicheng earthquake prediction

Earthquake Act

 3.4 Future prospects for earthquake prediction

Realistic public expectation of earthquake prediction

Why is the prediction effort so persistent?

From prediction to mitigation

 References

4 Seismic hazard and risk asessment

 4.1 Seismic hazard assessment

1957--First intensity zoning map of China

1977 intensity zoning map of China

1990 intensity zoning map of China

2001--Latest hazard map of China

 4.2 Building code

Building code (TJ11-78)--effective 1979-1990

Building code (GBJ11-89)--effective 1991-2001

Building code (GB50011-2001)

Importance of complying with the seismic design code

 4.3 Risk management

Quantification of disaster

Fortification standards should be increased

Earthquake-safe Rural Housing'Demonstrations

 4.4 Did the reservoir impoundment trigger the Wenchuan

earthquake?

 References

5 Emergency response and resscue

 5.1 People-oriented rescue principle

Immediate top level government response

So long as there was hope, they would never give up

Respect for life

 5.2 Open and transparent relief information

Timely, open and transparent information

International relief

Rescue efforts

 5.3 The breadth and diversity of donors

Donations from countries and regions

Donations from NGOs

The breadth and diversity of donors

 5.4 Voluntary contributions

An individual voluntary response

Rewards of voluntary work

Medical volunteers

Importance of psychological assistance

 References

6 Reconstruction of Wenchuan

 6.1 Outline of reconstruction

Overall planning

Reconstruction objectives

Reconstruction funds

 6.2 Counterpart assistance

New mechanism of post-earthquake reconstruction

Prom counterpart assistance to counterpart cooperation

 6.3 Solid schools, sweet hopes

Schools in reconstruction

Hospitals and other public facilities

 6.4 New Wenchuan after the earthquake

All be housed

Life goes on

The main lessons of the earthquake

 References

Appendices

 Appendix 1 Significant events of Wenchuan earthquake

 Appendix 2 Wenchuan earthquake sequence catalog

 Appendix 3 Law of the People's Republic of China on Protecting

Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters

 Appendix 4 The Overall Planning for Post-Wenchuan Earthquake

Restoration and Reconstruction (Extracts)