When did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake happen?

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake hit Sichuan Province in China on 12 May 2008. It caused massive destruction, landslides, and the collapse of many schools and buildings, with a death toll of about 87,000 including those missing. The disaster prompted major reviews of building safety, emergency response, and landslide risk in mountainous terrain. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century.