A Massive Earthquake Hits Sichuan, China

China Odyssey Tours has a number of tour groups visiting the areas affected by the giant earthquake that hit China on Monday May 12, 2008. According to China Odyssey Tours emergency disaster procedures , we contact our customers at once. We are extremely pleased to announce that all of our customers traveling with us are unharmed. All of the groups traveling with us are our top priority. We are doing everything we can to ensure that their visit to China is uninterrupted by the earthquake.

Notice: Chongqing is about 260 km away from Chengdu, and it was little affected by the earthquake. The Yangtze River Cruises are normally operated, for the areas along the river were not affected by the earthquake. It is safe to go on the cruises.

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The giant earthquake that hit China's Sichuan Province at 2:38pm on May 12th was China's largest natural disaster in over three decades. Although the 8.0-magnitude quake could be felt in most provinces and regions of China, almost all of China's tourist destinations were unharmed and tours throughout China have continued uninterrupted. China is still a safe place to visit.

Aftershocks: As of May 21th, 162 aftershocks had been monitored in Sichuan Province, according to the China Seismological Bureau. Among them, 26 aftershocks measured higher than 5.0 on the Richter scale, and 4 measured above 6.0 according to the bureau. Experts have been reported saying they believe a strong aftershock rating higher than 6 on the Richter scale is likely to occur at the original quake's epicenter.

Details about seriously affected areas

Details about the slightly affected areas

• Sichuan's scenic spots reopen and tours resume

Immediately after the giant quake rocked the area, the National Tourism Administration asked individuals and tour groups to refrain from visiting the province of Sichuan. On Sunday June 15th, the tourism administration decided to partly reopen Sichuan’s tourism market. Sichuan reopened 12 cities to tourists to help revive the area and its tourism industry. These cities include: Zigong, Panzhihua, Luzhou, Suining, Neijiang, Leshan, Nanchong, Yibin, Guang'an, Dazhou, Meishan and Ziyang, and the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture.

• Death Toll Rises to 69,016

According to a report from the Information Office of the State Council, the death toll from the giant quake that hit China's Sichuan Province has reached 69,016. An additional 368,545 are listed as injured and 18,830 are still missing. The office stated that approximately 15.5 million people have been evacuated. As of mid-day Sunday, a total of 9,710 aftershocks have hit the quake affected area.

• Cultural Relics Damaged in Giant Quake Scheduled to Undergo Repair Work

Professors at Shanghai's Tongji University are making plans to repair historical sites and cultural relics that were damaged in the giant earthquake that hit China on May 12th. Chang Qing, dean of Tongji's architecture department stated, “We are going to fix those relics by not only mending the architecture's outer surface. More importantly, we need to correct those with inappropriate anti-earthquake design and find out the ultimate cause of the damage."

• Cultural Relics Destroyed in Quake

According to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, sixty-five cultural relics under state protection and one hundred and nineteen under provincial protection have been severely damaged as a result of the giant quake that hit China's Sichuan Province May 12th. Teams of experts will be sent to Sichuan to make an appraisal of the damage and advise on the best course of action. Other sites throughout China remain unaffected.

• School Tragedy Comes Under Investigation Spotlight

Local officials have promised a special investigation into the collapse of the Beichuan Middle School, where up to 1,300 children and teachers may have died in the giant quake. Zuo Daifu, Mianyang's Vice Mayor stated that “We will preserve all of the buildings whether collapsed or not, for experts to investigate.” Most of the experts will come from the central government, but a specific time for the investigations have not been decided. Zuo said, “The builders will be held responsible if the buildings construction is found to be shoddy.” The school which was finished in 1998 took five years to built. Two classrom buildings were leveled and another was badly damaged. More than 1,300 of the school's 2,900 studnts and teachers are either missing or dead.

• Quake Lakes Under Control, For Now

According to the Vice Minister of Water Resources, all of the quake lakes are “under control”. Quake lakes are caused when landslides dam up a river and river builds up forming a lake behind the barrier. If the barrier were to rupture, it could cause flooding downstream. Heavy rains that are forecasted for the next three days are a major threat, as the additional water built up could cause the barriers to rupture. The May 12th quake and subsiquent aftershocks created 35 quake lakes, which pose a danger to the survivors of the giant quake.

• Death Toll Rises to 8 From Sunday's Strong Aftershock

The strong aftershock reading 6.4 on the Richter scale that hit China's Sichuan Province has killed at least eight people and injured nearly a thousand according to local government sources. Officials are still trying to get the details of the casualties and damages caused by the aftershock, which was the largest tremor since the May 12th quake.

• Missing Panda Spotted Alive

On May 12th, during the giant quake hit China's Sichuan Province, six of Wolong Nature Reserve's its giant pandas escaped when their enclosures collapsed. Four of them have returned on their own, and two are still missing. Sunday evening, one of the missing pandas was spotted on the other side of the river by workers from the Chongqing Municipality repairing a road damaged by the quake. The panda was playing in the river. The workers immediately informed the staff at the panda center, and attempted to use a crane to take some staff members across the river, but it was unfortunantely not long enough. Staff members are relieved that the panda is safe and seems to be doing well.

• Chengdu's Giant Pandas in Need of Bamboo

The deadly earthquake that hit China's Sichuan Province destroyed the homes of its most famous residents, the giant pandas. Panda keepers at the Wolong Nature Reserve have had difficulty reaching the giant panda's food located high in the mountains due to the damage caused by the initial quake and subsequent aftershocks.

• One of Wolong's Three Missing Pandas returns
• After hiking 33 hours, rescuers save Tibetans trapped by the earthquake
• A Moment of Silence

• Chinese Military Doctors Help Five Stranded Korean Students

• 33 Foreign Tourists arrive safely in Chengdu
• At least 270 students confirmed dead in a school

• How you can help China's Earthquake victims

• Another Aftershock hits China's Wenchuan County

• 100 Elite Soldiers Airdropped Into Stricken Area

• Stranded Foreign Tourists Safe in Wolong

• The Oldest Irrigation System in the World is Safe After China's Giant Quake

• Three Earthquakes Hit Taiwan

• Wolong Nature Reserve's Pandas are Safe

• 18 Foreign Tourists still not Contacted After Monday's Quake
• China's Giant Earthquake Devours an Entire County

• Troops Enter Quake's Epicenter

• Nearly 12,012 Reported Dead in Quake
• Areas Affected by China's Giant Earthquake
• Most Destinations in China Unaffected by the Earthquake
• Aide Rushes to Earthquake Affected Areas
  

• Chengdu Tourist Facilities Almost Back to Normal

Immediately after the giant quake that hit China's southwest province of Sichuan, many of Chengdu's Tourist Facilities were shut down either by damage, or for safety's sake and emergency procedures were implemented.

• Transportation Little Affected by China's Giant Quake

Transportation throughout China was barely affected by the giant earthquake that hit China's Sichuan Province on Monday May 12th. The only major transportation disruption came at Chengdu's Shuangliu Airport, and it was reopened the same day allowing visitors to leave the city. China's transportation administration announced that no incoming flights or trains are permitted into Chengdu.