WENCHUAN, Sichuan - Residents of a town situated in the epicenter of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake are moving in to new homes days ahead of the Chinese New Year.

Yingxiu town, in Wenchuan county, was completely destroyed during the earthquake, which occurred on May 12, 2008. A year or so later, cleaning and construction work has caused 1,600 new apartments to be built up from the ruins. More than 1,000 Yingxiu town families started moving to the residences this week.

"I've waited for this moment for two years," said Zhang Qingfang, who just took up quarters in her new home.