58 km W of Tianpeng, China

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake — a major event — struck near 58 km W of Tianpeng, China on May 12, 2008, at a shallow depth of about 19 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 7.9 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. 1,236 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.