Inspired by the public outpouring of support during the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, President Hu Jintao held a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People to honor individuals and organizations that were involved in rescue and relief work. President Hu urged China “to carry on the spirit of unity, courage, “people first” and scientific thinking that characterized the May 12 earthquake relief effort” and stated that the Central Committee had listed earthquake relief as their most important task.
“We organized the fastest quake relief work with the most people mobilized in China’s history, saved as many as possible lives and minimized the losses from the disaster,” Hu said.
The 8.0-magnitude quake was the most destructive one since the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, with more than 30,000 aftershocks, affecting 500,000 square km over more than 10 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Gansu, Shaanxi and Chongqing.
It was felt in 417 counties, 4,667 townships and 48,810 villages. It left 69,227 dead with 17,923 still missing. About 15.1 million people were displaced, Hu said.
Rewards were presented to a variety of people, including soldiers, police officers, volunteers, and medical workers. Five awards were awarded posthumously, including an award to Gou Xiaochao, a school teacher who was able to evacuate some students before the school collapsed and killed him.
Read also CDT’s past postings of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.
For more earthquake rescue stories, see Survivors Recount Heroic Teachers in SW China Quake Nightmare.
