Earthquake Damage in Beichuan County

Beichuan Qiang County, in Sichuan, China was one of the worst-affected regions during the Great Sichuan Earthquake of May 12, 2008. The townships of Qushan and Leigu were hit particularly hard, concrete structures crumbling to rubble under their own weight, or being crushed by landslides. (10 photos total)

A general view shows the earthquake-hit Beichuan county, about 160 km (99 miles) northeast of the epicenter of Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, May 13, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer (CHINA).

A general view of the damaged town of Beichuan in southwest China's Sichuan province on May 13, 2008. AFP PHOTO/XINHUA (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)

A survivor stretches his hand out from the debris of a collapsed building in Beichuan County. Picture taken May 13, 2008. REUTERS/Stringer (CHINA)

The hand of a dead body lies on the ground amongst the rubble of the earthquake ravaged town May 15, 2008 in Beichuan, Sichuan province, China. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

Rescuers gather on a collapsed building in the earthquake-struck county of Beichuan, southwest China's Sichuan province on May 15, 2008. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

A general view shows collapsed buildings in Beichuan County, May 15, 2008. (REUTERS/Stringer CHINA)

Rescuers search for victims in the debris of collapsed buildings in Beichuan County, Wednesday, May 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Color China Photo)

Soldiers carry a wounded elderly man out from a collapsed building in Beichuan County, May 14, 2008. (REUTERS/Guangquan CHINA).

Two police cars patrol along a street among the ruins of collapsed buildings in the depopulated Beichuan county in China's southwestern province of Sichuan on May 27, 2008. (LIU JIN/AFP/Getty Images)

The father of Li Ke hands over to her toys that he just found in the rubble of his house that was destroyed during last week's earthquake in Leigu Township, Beichuan County, May 24, 2008. (REUTERS/Nir Elias CHINA)

More information and articles:
Quake recovery will be 'arduous,' Chinese official predicts � by William Foreman, May 29
Where once stood a town - by Chien-min Chung, May 25th
Quake ravages western China - by Jake Hooker and Jim Yardley, May 13th
Wikipedia entry for 2008 Sichuan Earthquake

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good pictures! Feels like I was there...

Posted by Anonymous June 5, 08 10:58 PM

Excelente pictures ! !
Looking this pictures we can know what a Earthquake is.
Congratulations. . . .

Posted by Marcos Louren�o June 8, 08 11:05 AM

why haven't pictures like this been shown more in the media? i think that americans get a very 'watered down' version of the earthquake by just hearing casualty numbers...

...these pictures actually show you what kind of profound damage was done

Posted by k June 10, 08 08:31 PM

On se sent tout petit en regardant c'est photos.
Courage pour les survivants.

Du bon boulot. f�licitations.

Posted by ludovic June 10, 08 11:21 PM

It hurts and bothers me to look at these, wishing I could do something. I have just enough to get by and I cannot spare anything more than my time and attention So, I will not turn away,. I want to give these people I will never know my sorrow and time. It's the only thing I can do. I wish them hope and a quick recovery for those who live, and a peaceful rest for those who died.

Posted by Misty Caldwell June 12, 08 05:24 AM

The last image is so innocent and humbling, yet sad and discomforting in some way.
I agree with 'Anonymous,' really feels like I'm there, great photographs taken.

Posted by mushboon June 18, 08 03:54 PM

The image of a hand and the buildings in the distance says more about loss than any earthquake image I have ever seen before. I can imagine more of the person who died from the position of the hand than showing an entire body. Very dramatic composition of a huge human trajedy. The loss of buildings is real, but the human loss is so much greater. Paula Bronstein is the be congratulated.

Posted by Don Sherman June 23, 08 11:02 PM

omg thats so bad i could nt look at that hand and that dead person omg omg omg

Posted by samantha June 29, 08 10:55 PM

thats very good

Posted by parth July 4, 08 12:22 AM

Preety cool man, those are one of the best pictures ive ever seen,
thanks guys

Posted by Anonymous September 9, 08 05:28 AM

Great pictures taken, they give us an understanding of the earthquake scene. It's really painfull I cann't keep on looking on them (pictures).

Posted by Zonke October 5, 08 08:17 AM

it is so traumatising to hear so many people died duri

Posted by Anonymous October 13, 08 08:06 AM

These are some bad pics. I am so glad it was not me.

Posted by Anonymous October 22, 08 03:34 PM

good picture

Posted by kklkllkhklghlmlm October 22, 08 07:29 PM

wow we can really see the damage i feel like i was there

Posted by anonymous November 15, 08 02:23 PM

The damage is so great the region is now a ghost town.

Posted by JY November 29, 08 12:29 PM

i am so sad that all that happened
but the photography is great how do u do it

Posted by dfghjk January 11, 09 03:37 PM

Vos photos sont toutes plus belles les unes que les autres.
Fascinant!
Bravo8

Posted by schmitt alain February 28, 09 11:22 AM

This is so sad anyone who readds it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

Posted by lili March 30, 09 08:42 AM

GOD BLESS EVERYONE.

Posted by David hocker April 28, 09 01:28 PM

thanks for the photos, we're heading there tmr, keeps us focused of our purpose when we get there.
cheers

Posted by Oliver June 1, 09 01:20 PM

it very sad that all of you people have to go though all of this

Posted by Esmeralda Betances June 5, 09 12:14 PM