Yingxiu Earthquake Tourist Town

Yingqiu Town (映秀), a small town in Sichuan Province has become somewhat famous due to the May 12, 2008 Sichuan Earthquake which killed about 80,000 people.  Yingxiu had the unenviable distinction of being at the epicenter of the earthquake which destroyed most buildings and killed almost one-third of the town's population.

The Chinese government invested heavily in rebuilding the town as well as the rest of the surrounding area devastated by the earthquake. As a result, Yingxiu has become a tourist attraction, drawing mostly Chinese tourists as well as a few foreigners such as the group I went there with from Belmont University.

The most moving sight in Yingxiu town is not any of the new many houses, buildings, or commemorative museum, but the ruins of a middle school where 43 students died. 

A before and after (earthquake) photo of the school

The natural disaster was made worse by allegations of corruption, basically that government officials pocketed part of the money that should have been spent to build stronger buildings able to better withstand a serious earthquake. 

Hollow bricks may have increased the impact's damage

Here's some photos from a nearby mountain overlooking the new rebuilt town.

Here;s a slideshow with more photos from my visit to Yingxiu town and you can click here to view these pictures at larger size.