2008 Sichuan earthquake:

Because of the magnitude of the quake, and the media attention on China, foreign nations and organizations immediately responded to the disaster by offering condolences and assistance. On May 14, UNICEF reported that China formally requested the support of the international community to respond to the needs of affected families.

Please answer a question about this article. If the question is unanswerable, say "unanswerable". Why did the world community notice the need for help?
magnitude of the quake