At 2.28pm on 12 May 2008, an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck China. Its epicenter was in Wenchuan County, about 80 kilometers west-northwest of Chengdu (the capital of Sichuan), at a depth of 19 km. Tremors were felt as far away as Beijing and Shanghai, and in neighboring countries. As of 27 May 2008, official figures state 65,080 confirmed dead (with 64,571 in the Sichuan province alone), 360,058 injured, and 23,150 listed as missing. The final death toll is expected to exceed 80,000. The earthquake has left about 4.8 million people homeless, though the number could be as high as 11 million. It has been the strongest and deadliest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which caused an estimated 240,000 deaths. Thousands of aftershocks and forecasts of more rain have compounded the difficulties for military, government and private workers trying to deliver aid. Major transnational and Chinese corporations operating in Sichuan have survived largely intact, except for mining operations and power suppliers. Japanese plants in Chengdu and US operations have been shut for the safety concerns, but suffered little damage.
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