The2008Sichuanearthquake(Chinese:四川大地震;pinyin:Sìchuāndàdìzhèn),atamagnitude7.9Mw,occurredat14:28:01.42CST(06:28:01.42UTC)on12May2008inSichuanprovinceofChina.InChina,itwasnamedtheWenchuanearthquake(Chinese:汶川大地震;pinyin:Wènchuāndàdìzhèn),aftertheearthquake'sepicenterinWenchuanCountyinSichuanprovince.Theepicenterwas80kilometres(50mi)west-northwestofChengdu,thecapitalofSichuan,withadepthof19kilometres(12mi).[4]TheearthquakewasfeltasfarawayasBeijing(1,500kmaway)andShanghai(1,700kmaway),whereofficebuildingsswayedwiththetremor.[5]Theearthquakewasalsofeltinnearbycountries.

　　Officialfigures(asofMay18,14:00CST)statethat32,477areconfirmeddead,including31,978inSichuanprovince,and220,109injured.[3]TheChinesegovernmentwarnedthatthedeathtollcouldsoarto50,000.[6]Tensofthousandsaremissing,approximately14,000ofthemburied,andeightprovinceswereaffected.[7][8]ItwasthedeadliestandstrongestearthquaketohitChinasincethe1976Tangshanearthquake,whichkilledover240,000people.TheofficialsdeclaredMay19-21,2008,asthenationalmourningdaysforthisearthquake,andtheChinesewillraisetheirflagathalfmast.At14:28onMay19,2008,aweekaftertheearthquake,people[who?]willobservesilencetoexpressmourning;veichles,ships,trains,andair-defensealarmswillsound.[9].Also,thetorchrealyofOlympicissuspendedinthesethreedays.