Friday marks the 30th anniversary of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale, the powerful quake flattened homes and left 242, 769 dead and 164, 851 critically injured in this city in North China's Hebei Province. The following photos were taken by Wang Wen Lan, a member of a contingent of about 10,000 People's Liberation Army soldiers dispatched on a rescue and rebuilding mission. Wang is now the Director of the China Daily Photography Department, and the Vice-Chairman of the China Photographers Association.

Lu Guilan, rescued by soldiers after being trapped for 13 days. (Wang Wenlan, 1976)