Final answer:
The type of event that killed thousands in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake is a landslide.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of event that killed thousands in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake is a landslide. The earthquake triggered a gigantic landslide on the unstable north flank, causing massive flows of mud and rock down river valleys. This resulted in the deaths of numerous people who were too close to the mountain.