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

900 Students are trapped

Thats terrible!



[edit on 12-5-2008 by asala]

Officials are claiming none of the Olympic venues have been affected.



Link


Big quake for sure...

There is no doubt Now_then this is going to be very very bad. What a cataclysm. Can not imagine going thru a 7.8.

reply to post by Now_Then

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I agree, it will only get worse as the day progresses.

Did they say if the 900 students trapped are in relation to the 2 primary schools that have already been reported as damaged or is this from another location?

Death is bad, but worse when children are involved.

5 reported dead
No casualty are reported in Chengdu
This is Chengdu after earthquake
image source: http://upfile.cat898.com/UploadFile/2008-5/2008512184136533.jpg

This is Beijing after earthquake
image source: http://upfile.cat898.com/UploadFile/2008-5/200851218428127.jpg

I beilive it is a different location,

reply to post by Grailkeeper

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Well they did mention that the school was in an area where landslides can take place - I had a look on google maps (not got google earth on this machine) and Chengdu seems to be located on a relatively flat area - but looking to the NW (where the epicentre is) there are many valleys with very steep sides - and if you zoom in there is plenty of developed towns. I hope the rock is solid, it don't look good if large slides come into those towns - getting in by road could be a nightmare.

Think it's the slide that will account for quite a high death toll unfortunately.

Edit: Official toll 160 dead overall (expect that to rise)

And the school was a secondary school - (12 to 19 year olds?)


[edit on 12/5/2008 by Now_Then]

latest pictures of Chengdu
image source: http://upfile.cat898.com/UploadFile/2008-5/200851219353881.jpg

image source: http://upfile.cat898.com/UploadFile/2008-5/200851219430533.jpg

Yes but its the settlements in the mountainous area right on top of the epicentre that will be worst off right?

the latest death number is 107

This is not good news, Reports coming in now that 5 other schools have collapsed with people in them,



[edit on 12-5-2008 by asala]

reply to post by asala

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Why are they only reporting about the schools and students? Surely the schools have to be some of the better fortified buildings in the area. Seems odd.

news.sky.com...

Link to the UK Sky News current version.

This is the center of the earthquake----Wenchuan before earthquake
let's wait and see what it will become after the earthquake
image source: http://upfile.cat898.com/UploadFile/2008-5/2008512203339721.jpg

UPDATE: Chinese Officals are reporting,

Death toll has just rocketed to possible 3000 people??

And could rise further to 3,500 ?


I think this has to be due to the time of day this happened,



[edit on 12-5-2008 by asala]

Also just want to add that i hope that all our Chinese members are ok, And are keeping safe,

Please let us know you are ok as soon as you can,

We are thinking of you,

Pictures of a affected area---Deyang
Pictures of a affected area---Suining
Pictures of a affected area---a part of Chongqing
Pictures of a affected area---Hanzhong





[edit on 12-5-2008 by gs001]

BBC News -




Whats going on with the world these days??

news.bbc.co.uk...

[edit on 12-5-2008 by II HAL II]

reply to post by gs001

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Thanks for the post. I am happy to see that all of the buildings are still standing in those pictures, even though it is a pretty limited view.

80% of the Sichuan buildings (SP) have toppled, This is just in one District, acording to chinese officals,