Sichuan Earthquake

On 14:28 local time, 12 May 2008, a devasting earthquake of 7.9 Magnitude on the Reuters Scale occured in the Sichuan province of China.

(All pictures linked from http://en.wikipedia.org and remains their copyright and property)  

Update on the deadly earthquake in Sichuan Province, China

I am sure you must have heard of the devastating earthquake in China. If you have not, watch the video below:

News Report just after the quake

The earthquake, which struck on 12th May at Sichuan province, has left at least 65,000 people dead and 5,000,000 people homeless. Up till today (28 May 2008), aftershock of magnitude 6 is still felt in parts of the province.

I immediately called up two of my China friends whom I know came from Sichuan. Most fortunately, for both of them, non of their families or relatives were affected.

Unfortunately, many others were not as fortunate. I will be flying to Beijing on 28 May and I'll try to find out more on how I can help. I am also very concerned with many of my Chinese friends. I will update you again when I find out more.

Some readers of my website at has also asked me on how they can help. You can indeed. Make a donation at a reputable charitable organisation such as World Vision. It doesn't matter how big or small is the amount. Go to: http://www.worldvision.org

(World Vision Organisation priority is children affected by war, disasters or civil strife.)

Thank you very much for any kind of donation that you may make. Let us pray and hope that such disaster do not happen anywhere in the world anymore.

Best regards
Ken Zhong
http://www.chinese-culture.net

News

Update from Beijing, China 4 June 2008

Public signboards appeal for donations

I arrived in Beijing, China on 28 May 2008, just 2 weeks after the massive earthquake in Sichuan, China.

There is calm throughout Beijing. Life goes on as normal. Afterall, China is such a large country and Sichuan is thousand of miles away. However, it is evident that the whole country is touched and affected by the earthquake in Sichuan.

Everyday, newspapers and television news are reporting on the situation in Sichuan. There are temporary blood banks, public donation stands, large banners and special road shows throughout the country to appeal to the public to donate money, equipments and blood to the earthquake victims.

Regional hospitals continue to take in victims from Sichuan so as to lessen the load on Sichuan hospitals and also to allow Sichuan hospitals to take on more crucial cases.

Special gates and priority lanes are set-up in airports, bus, railway and high-ways so that people and goods that are meant for the quake victims has first priority. Restaurants and shopping malls donate part of their daily takings and banks and government offices has special counters to facilitate donations.

Regional gas, electrical and water utilities companies continue to pour into Sichuan to restore essential utilities so that daily life can carry on as soon as possible. Roadwork, communications and transportation companies are also helping Sichuan to open their lines of communications.

 
Rescue, salvage and extraction efforts continue up to today

The army, police and civil defence units in China continue to work around the clock in Sichuan to rescue and and extract trapped and helpless quake victims. It was fortunate that the major cities of Chongqing and Chengdu in Sichuan withstood the quake quite well but not so for the thousands of smaller villages and towns located near the epi-centre of the quake centred around the Wenchuan region.

It is obvious that the entire Chinese people has risen up together to react to this massive catastrophy in a positive and united way. Every Chinese I spoke to has indicated that they have donated money for the quake victims and would continue to donate if there is a need. Everywhere I turn, people were still concerned and had expressed their willingness to help the quake victims.

China is a relative rich and strong country today unlike the last major earthquake in Tangshan in 1976. This time round, China was able to on it's own money, people and effort, to make a positive, quick and effective rescue and recovery of the quake victims in Sichuan. International and foreign donations and rescue efforts, though still highly appreciated, was now not as important in China's own disaster self-help and recovery effort as it was needed previously.