A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan County, Sichuan Province at 8:02 a.m. on April 20, 2013, which caused great damage and losses to local people's life and property security.

After the earthquake, Dr. Bai Chunli, president of CAS and Dr. Ding Zhongli, deputy president of CAS expressed sincere condolence and sympathy for the first time, and gave urgent instructions to IMHE to provide the scientific and technological services to earthquake relief.

Dr. Deng Wei held a mobilization meeting before teams' departure. (picture by IMHE)

In accordance with the earthquake relief work arrangement of CAS and Sichuan government, leading group of Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS (IMHE) held an emergency meeting to initiated earthquake relief plan quickly.

Three Geo –hazards expert team led by Dr. Wei Fangqiang, vice director of IMHE, and Dr. Cui Peng rushed to the earthquake-stricken areas on the afternoon of the same day. The expert team will take the mountain torrent, the geological disaster's guard work, and provide targeted technical services such as security assessment of settlements on blocked rivers, and other urgent needs.

IMHE scientists rushed to Lushan County. (picture by IMHE)

Dr. Deng Wei, director of IMHE conveyed important instructions and requirements from Bai Chunli and the Sichuan government before the teams’ departure. Deng Wei pointed out that the earthquake relief mission is greatly trust to IMHE from Sichuan provincial party committee, provincial government and CAS. All members of the team must pay more attention to shoulder the burden of earthquake relief, to ensure safe premise, pay close attention to earthquake disaster, and understand the situation of disasters and geological risk screening timely, ready to have safe and secondary mountain disaster response to provide powerful technology support for the earthquake relief work effectively.