5. 12 Wenchuan earthquake occurred at Beijing time (UTC+8) 1 2 (Monday, May1Sunday, 2008), 14: 28: 04. According to the data of People's Republic of China (PRC) and the State Seismological Bureau, the surface wave magnitude of this earthquake reached 8.0 on the Richter scale and the moment magnitude was 8.3 MW (according to American geology).
The seismic wave of this earthquake has been confirmed to circle the earth six times. The earthquake affected more than half of China and many countries and regions in Asia, and it was felt in Liaoning in the north, Shanghai in the east, Hongkong, Macau, Thailand and Vietnam in the south and Pakistan in the west.
Extended data
Causes of Wenchuan earthquake:
As the Indian Ocean plate moves northward at a speed of about 15cm per year, the Eurasian plate is compressed and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau rises rapidly. In addition, due to the influence of gravity, the eastern side of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is gradually sinking along the Longmen Mountain, and it is facing the tenacious resistance of the Sichuan Basin, leading to the long-term accumulation of tectonic stress energy. Finally, the pressure in Longmen Mountain, Beichuan and Yingxiu was suddenly released.
It caused thrust, dextral and compressional fault earthquakes. The Sichuan earthquake occurred in the brittle-ductile transition zone of the crust, with the focal depth of 10 ~ 20km, close to the surface and lasting for a long time (about 2 minutes), so it was extremely destructive and had a strong impact.
Baidu Encyclopedia -5. 12 Wenchuan Earthquake