Earthquake of a magnitude 7.8 reported in China *UPDATE* 'to top 50,000' killed

Our office is now evacuated due to aftershock. Gonna join a Business Continuity call shortly so should have updates from our contacts in Beijing and Hong Kong.

World seismic maps are off the grid. Earth will ring like a bell for a while from this one. I KNEW something was brewing.

reply to post by jpm1602

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I think we have been lucky in the US that nothing big has hit.. I think it is all slowly heading this way.. Anyone notice the 4 earthquakes this week on the madrid fault line area... 2.7 St Louis, 2.8 Arkansas, 2.5 Indiana and 3.1 Mississippi...

Yes sir/maam, I have. I've been like a cat on a hot tin roof lately. Can't sleep. This will not be the end of it.

reply to post by jpm1602

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Looks like you need to go get another bottle of melatonin.

I am hoping this big one just relieved some pressure and that it is not a sign of worse things to come.

Just to update,

" 2 primary schools have collapsed, known 5 children have been killed,


Also A row of houses have also collapsed, near the city, This is comeong from the Chinese news agency

[edit on 12-5-2008 by asala]

These are the kind of sad news which everyone can safely tune in Xinhua to see the latest reports. There is no need to hide or downplay the disaster as someone suggested. Same as the winter disaster End of January, beginning February.

image source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-05/12/xinsrc_51205051215384682698822.jpg


I had never been in that area, but what I understood is that it is much less developed than the coastal provinces. And some of my friends all over China is saying they felt the quake and became a bit dizzy too, like some of my employees here in Shenzhen. So far casualty reports is fuzzy, hope for the best

If you can read Chinese then you will notice that Xinhuahas linked up a lot of "training" material how to act when you face an earthquake (aftershocks) and so on. Such as informing the people not to jump out of buildings and so on.
image source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2008-05/12/xin_4720505121543531285873.jpg


Since China is a a big country so we are exposed to a lot of natural disasters each year. And 2008 seems to be a bad year for natural disasters in China again. We had the extreme hard winter disaster, we are expecting to receive the most typhoons this year (also stronger ones?), and now this earthquake(s).

Ps. China offered help for the Katrina disaster, but Bush rejected any rescue workers help. So if I remember correctly we only donated money (5 million or so) to some relief funds.


[edit on 12/5/08 by IchiNiSan]

Dude! LOL. I need some more melatonin or a good shot of sodium penathol. Still weighing my options on that.
No one blames you here Ichi. Our leaders are nuts. We are much like you. Just people trying to get by.


[edit on 5/12/2008 by jpm1602]

i swear this guy works for the Chinese Government... are you part of an effort to somehow convince westerners that the Chinese government gives two (Snip) about its people because it doesn't.




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[edit on 12-5-2008 by asala]

Sad news.

It does seem like China is cursed as of late.

Its upsetting to hear of children being killed with initial reports. Hopefully the numbers will be low.

Purple. Have a little respect for people undergoing a major tragic event.
Please.

reply to post by jpm1602

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what about the tragic events that go on everyday?

Just got off the Business Continuity call with colleagues in China.
Our office was evacuated and may have suffered structural damage which is being assessed and all staff are, as far as I am aware, accounted for.

I've yet to make contact with anyone on the ground locally as telephone comms, both landline and cell are very patchy right now, although data comms are still up.

I expect there may be some big aftershocks from this one though.

Worrying as we've just recently broken ground for a 4 building campus there

Do I need to come over there and have a good talking with you? Don't be a turkey. Everybody bleeds red.

There ae plenty of threads that discuss the events in china, (Use the search)

THIS is a thread about the EarthQuake that has just happpened,

So please lets keep it to that out of respect for those who have been killed,

Thank you,

BBC reporter in the area just said they were told to expect another big quake 2 hours after the first one (that has now passed with no quake) - and they are also being told to expect at least one more before midnight (although I don't know if that is a major quake or aftershock, or even the govt over there just being prudent)

reply to post by jpm1602

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re-read my post. I have full respect for the majority of Chinese people who want to live their life peacefully without their tyrannical government forcing them off there land or poising there waterways and air because of corruption and mismanagement of regulations, all the while the rich get richer and the poor get poorer... thats capitalism for ya

Purple. I don't wish to fight with you. A '7.8' magnitude eq occurred halfway around the world. There will be many dead, hurt, houses ruined. I don't care if they are chinese, maltese, or labradore. It's a significant event that will effect many. And it saddens me all the same. Brilliant purple. You have reaffirmed my faith in humanity. Thanks for the dialogue.

[edit on 5/12/2008 by jpm1602]

reply to post by jpm1602

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well i am glad to hear that you are sad because i know that will make all the differnece

BBC just reported 900 students BURIED

Suggested landslide due to mountainous terrain.

Edit: I really feel this day is going to get worse as it goes on.

[edit on 12/5/2008 by Now_Then]