7.9 quake in China

A 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck China’s eastern Sichuan province on May 12, killing 68,000, leaving  five million homeless and damaging infrastructure. The epicenter of the quake was near Wenchuan County, approximately 55 miles northwest of Chengdu.

Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou airports restricted use to mostly relief and aid missions.

At press time, a major concern was possible flooding from lakes formed behind over 30 dams created by landslides. Thousands of people were evacuated as thousands of soldiers and engineers worked to safely release the waters.