Earthquake in China's Sichuan province

[thomas]

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/ ... 3420080514

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 399897.stm

Can't believe i'm the first to mention this. Horrific natural disaster, some powerfull images being showen across the media at the moment.

Out of the town's population of 10,000, only 2,300 have been found alive after Monday's quake, of magnitude 7.9."

"Sichuan Vice-Governor Li Chengyun said the death toll included: 7,395 in Mianyang, 2,648 in Deyang City, 959 in the provincial capital Chengdu, 700 in Guangyuan City, and 161 in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture

RIP

[lloydnoise]

yeh its really savage. its not szechuan is it? no more spicy pork balls

[wub]

Checked with my local Chinese last night - will not affect the flow of spicy beef into South London.


Shame the Burmese restaurant hasn't got back to me yet though......

[forensix (mcr)]

Nearly 15,000 people have died and you're making jokes about food??

[thomas]

Nearly 15,000 people have died and you're making jokes about food??

Innit,

Brings a tear to my eye that only 25% of a town can be acounted for, its hard to imagian a dissaster like that.

[kins83]

Shit, I knew nothing about this at all. Over 3 quarters of a towns population wiped out.

[djshiva]

Nearly 15,000 people have died and you're making jokes about food??

this would prolly be why no one has said anything about it here. we know the evil food-obsessed ways of the ninjas.

[wub]

On the flip side, China's humanity caring sharing regime (what with the games around the corner and all), is at least kicking into high gear with regards to the relief process.

Heard nuff chat about them dropping paratroopers and food parcels into areas inaccessible by road. Fair play to them.

[bennyprofane]

In china, so I'm getting a kick out of these replies . . .

Doesn't the saying go "One death is a tragedy, 15,000 is a statistic."

[elbe]

something like that.... it is hard to comprehend death on that scale, makes empathy that bit harder.

Im suprissed that I havn't seen/heard any pleas for help from the aid agencies/charities yet.


Major tradgic, and so close to Burma disaster, wouldn't wish that on anyone.

where abouts in china benny? you seen the affects first hand?

[municiple]

I work with China extensively and contacted the government to ask how they would best like people to send relief, etc. They recommended using the Red Cross, as it is already on ground and providing relief.

If anyone is inclined to help, you can find out more at the Red Cross website set up for this relief:

http://american.redcross.org/site/PageS ... c=F8DWA001

Thanks,
Bob

[dubluke]

apparantly there has been a VERY quick response (someone already mentioned the paratroopers being dropped in) as china are supposedly very well geared up for this kind of thing, shockwaves were very far spread i hear

anyway i'm off to watch it all from the comfort of my nice safe sofa, before then coming online to be all nice about it but ultimately not make that much difference

[oddfellow]

The situation in China is horrible, but nothing compared to whats happening in Burma. As the worlds attention is on China, Tibet and the Olympics they are being forced to do more then they probably would do usually. Burma's government is deliberately making things worse. They aren't letting aid get through properly and up to 2.5 million people have been affected by the Cyclone. The red cross puts the death toll at 130,000.

[thomas]

No doubt Tomity, they are both serious and i wasnt trying to put one above the other. I just assumed somthing had been mentioned on the Cyclone already. I since have proven myself wrong

[__________]

call me a pessimist but i think this is a taste of what's in store for everyone over the next 5-10 years.

not belittling either of these disasters, i just think something much worse is round the corner.

130,000 is such a huge number. i wouldn't know what that many pound coins looked like, let alone human bodies.

respect to the aid workers though!

[thomas]

Any day now we could see that super volcano in The Yellowstone National Park explode, so you are correct. Earthquakes and volcanos will always happen, its completly natural. Global Warming is the one which will create many more disasters, like cyclones/tornados, drought blah blah ( soo much effected by it)

[oddfellow]

No doubt Tomity, they are both serious and i wasnt trying to put one above the other. I just assumed somthing had been mentioned on the Cyclone already. I since have proven myself wrong

Yeah mate, I think both need to be mentioned and discussed together. The latest news on Burma isnt good at all. They are expecting another Cyclone: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/ma ... rgis.burma

[fou chien]

Talk about karma.This 'quake instigated by push from Indian sub-continent.Perhaps the Dalai Lama and co. sent a warning via the forces that be.Pics of Chinese president/premier at the scene contradict the supposedly inscrutable commie archetype, the guy was distraught and almost frantic in his efforts to soothe his people.A bit of emo from a world leader?

[oddfellow]

Talk about karma.This 'quake instigated by push from Indian sub-continent.Perhaps the Dalai Lama and co. sent a warning via the forces that be.Pics of Chinese president/premier at the scene contradict the supposedly inscrutable commie archetype, the guy was distraught and almost frantic in his efforts to soothe his people.A bit of emo from a world leader?

No offence mate. But I personally tarnish all world leaders with the same brush, and I dont think your leaders particually care.

[bennyprofane]

where abouts in china benny? you seen the affects first hand?

Heilongjiang, so thats negatory boss.