The whole China shakes

[bawang]

pat roberts said the giant quake that killed thousands was because jesus christ was mad at china for opressing the tibetans.


china must be improving because this time only 30 died. jesus is only slightly annoyed now. there is hope.

[David Jamieson]

Let's burn joss and hope that he becomes mildly interested again!

[ShaolinDan]

Felt nothing, though it wasn't very far away. Good thing too--if a real quake hits Kunming it's going to be a LOT more than thirty dead...

[GeneChing]

24 photos if you follow the link below

China: Quake aid slowly reaches villagers
Associated Press
Updated 11:20 pm, Sunday, April 21, 2013

Lushan, China --

Luo Shiqiang sat near chunks of concrete, bricks and a ripped orange sofa and told how his grandfather was just returning from feeding chickens when their house collapsed and crushed him to death in this weekend's powerful earthquake in southwestern China.

"We lost everything in such a short time," the 20-year-old college student said Sunday. He said his cousin also was injured in the collapse but that other members of his family were spared because they were out working in the fields of hard-hit Longmen village in Lushan county.

Saturday's earthquake in Sichuan province killed at least 188 people, injured more than 11,000 and left almost two dozen missing, mostly in the rural communities around Ya'an city, along the same fault line where a devastating quake to the north killed more than 90,000 people five years ago in one of China's worst natural disasters.

The Lushan and Baoxing counties hardest hit Saturday had escaped the worst of the damage in the 2008 quake, and residents said they benefited little from the region's rebuilding after the disaster, with no special reinforcements made or new evacuation procedures introduced in their remote communities.

Luo said he wished more had been done to make his community's buildings quake-resistant. "Maybe the country's leaders really wanted to help us, but when it comes to the lower levels, the officials don't carry it out," he said.

Relief teams flew in helicopters and dynamited through landslides Sunday to reach some of the most isolated communities where rescuers led sniffer dogs through piles of brick, concrete and wood debris to search for survivors.

Many residents complained that although emergency teams were quick to carry away bodies and search for survivors, they had so far done little to distribute aid. "No water, no shelter," read a handwritten sign held up by children on a roadside in Longmen.

The quake - measured by China's earthquake administration at magnitude 7.0 and by the U.S. Geological Survey at 6.6 - struck shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday.

[sanjuro_ronin]

It just boggles the mind:

Saturday's earthquake in Sichuan province killed at least 188 people, injured more than 11,000 and left almost two dozen missing, mostly in the rural communities around Ya'an city, along the same fault line where a devastating quake to the north killed more than 90,000 people five years ago in one of China's worst natural disasters.

[ShaolinDan]

A lot of people in Kunming actually felt the tremors from this one (though I didn't).

[GeneChing]

Jackie Chan charity 'hacked' for three days, Yaan donations disrupted
Thursday, 25 April, 2013, 2:41pm
Staff Reporter

The website of Jackie Chan’s Beijing-based charity organisation “returned to normal” operations on Wednesday after being hacked for three days, the Beijing News reported on Thursday.

The Hong Kong action star announced on Tuesday on his personal weibo account: “Yaan is in need of disaster relief funds right now and while I have been co-ordinating action, the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation’s website has been continually attacked and tampered with”.

An error that read “warning: this page may have been illegally tampered with” began to appear on the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation Beijing website, chenglooncishan.org, beginning on Sunday, the report said.

Chan also posted a mobile phone number with which potential donors could give money via text message. A “donation agreement” would be sent to donors via e-mail, he said.

One weibo user said he would stop donating to the charity temporarily.

Last year, the charity was implicated by name in an alleged embezzlement scandal involving the China Charities Aid Foundation (CCAFC). Columnist Zhou Xiaoyun accused the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation of receiving "18 million yuan in illegal funds" from the CCAFC. Both charities have denied the allegations.

There's a special place in hell for those who tamper with charitable orgs.

Meanwhile, Jet's One Foundation did a lot for the cause.

Jet Li's One Foundation Raises Over 90 Million Yuan for Ya'an Earthquake
2013-04-23 19:07
Economic Observer Online
By Pang Lijing (庞丽静)
Apr 23, 2013
Translated by Liu Jingyue

After a long career as a martial arts movie star, in 2007 Jet Li (李连杰) put his acting career on the backburner and turned to philanthropy.

Li, who was born in Beijing but is now a naturalized Singaporean citizen, first established the One Foundation Project in April 2007. However, it was only after various trials and tribulations that in 2011 he was able to turn the One Foundation into one of China's first private charities.

In the early hours of this morning, the One Foundation announced via its official Weibo account that as of midnight on Apr 22 (Monday), a total of 610,000 donations had been made by individuals and companies via online donation platforms set up on various popular internet portals like Sina, Tencent and Tmall. The One Foundation had received more than 46 million yuan in donations through these online platforms and a further 44 million yuan in bank transfers.

Jet Li also gave updates on the assistance that was arriving in the disaster zone via his own Weibo account.

Early media reports compared the over 10 million yuan that the One Foundation had collected by 8pm on the evening of the quake to the 140,000 yuan that the Red Cross Society of China was said to have received by 7pm on the same evening. Some commentators linked this early discrepancy to the effect of the Guo Meimei (郭美美) scandal of two years ago.

Public trust towards China Red Cross suffered a major blow after a social media frenzy surrounding a young lady with the Weibo handle "Guo Meimei Baby" who claimed to be connected to the charity posted images of her lavish lifestyle on the social media platform. It was later revealed that she had no connection to the Red Cross. The scandal exposed a lack of transparency in the operations of the charity. An announcement that China Red Cross Society had dispatched a team to investigate the situation on the ground that was posted to their official Weibo account attracted more than 100,000 comments, many of them telling the charity where to go.

However, as of 5pm this afternoon, the China Red Cross Society had received over 235 million yuan in donations, according to their website.

As of 6am this morning, authorities say that the strong earthquake that hit a mountainous region in the western Chinese province of Sichuan on Saturday morning had led to 193 deaths, 25 missing and 12,211 injured.

[GeneChing]

There's a vid if you follow the link.

5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes southwest China; 4 dead
By David Simpson, for CNN
updated 1:34 AM EDT, Sun September 1, 2013

(CNN) -- A 5.9-magnitude earthquake killed at least four people Saturday morning in southwestern China, state media reported.

Officials reported 10 injuries as emergency teams began to respond, the Xinhua News Agency said.

The state-owned news agency quoted Yunnan provincial officials as saying that 600 residential units collapsed. An additional 55,000 residential units were damaged, and 9,200 people had been forced to relocate, Xinhua reported.

The quake -- with a depth of 10 kilometers -- hit in remote areas near the border of the Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Roads were blocked in some villages by boulders rolling down mountains, and 17 people on three tourist buses were trapped by landslides, Xinhua said.

The Civil Affairs Ministry in Yunnan province was sending tents and clothing, Xinhua said.

The epicenter was near Benzilan Township, the USGS reported.

"We are heading to Benzilan," Liao Wencai, vice secretary of the Deqen County Committee of the Communist Party of China, told Xinhua. "The telecommunication there has been cut off, and many residents cannot be reached by mobile phone."

Xinhua reported it reached a Benzilan resident who said people "rushed outdoors hastily" because of the strength of the quake, but houses there did not collapse.

On Wednesday, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit the same region.

[GeneChing]

Brutal. Just imagine if there was a quake in America with that high of a death count.

China News
Villages Left With Little After Yunnan Quake
Blocked Roads Leave Some Largely Cut Off From Aid in Southwest China
By Josh Chin
Aug. 6, 2014 12:30 p.m. ET


The death toll from Sunday's 6.1-magnitude earthquake in China's Yunnan province jumped to least 589 people Wednesday. WSJ's Ramy Inocencio asks China Editor Carlos Tejada in Beijing for the latest.

YINPING, China—This devastated village in southwestern China illustrates why the death toll from an earthquake three days ago has risen quickly—and why it could rise still.

China on Wednesday raised the death toll from Sunday's 6.1 magnitude earthquake in southwestern China's Yunnan province to 589 people from 410 the day before. Chinese authorities said blocked roads and disrupted communications made it difficult to access certain areas, contributing to a slow count.

An additional 2,400 were injured, authorities said, and 229,700 had been relocated.

Rescuers made progress after construction workers replaced a collapsed bridge with a temporary steel one, helping supplies pour into the village of Longtoushan, the epicenter of the quake. That allowed rescuers to reach out to more remote hamlets.

Still, many smaller villages are accessible only by single narrow roads that were buried or swept away by landslides. Further rescue efforts are likely to be hampered by rain, which threatened to fall on and off in parts of the area Wednesday, while Chinese authorities warned of the potential for strong aftershocks in the coming days.


A woman salvaged a photo album from the debris of her home in Longtoushan, the epicenter of the quake. Reuters

Yinping, a village of several hundred people that depends on growing corn and potatoes, represents the challenges rescuers face. The village lies 2½ hours on foot from Longtoushan, accessible only by dirt paths. Its thick vegetation and mountainous terrain make it hard to bring in stronger construction material such as steel, resulting in local homes made out of less-sturdy stuff.

The earthen walls of many of its homes crumbled during the quake, which hit Sunday afternoon local time. It wasn't clear how many of the residents were dead or injured. In one cluster of 200 people and 37 families, 12 people were killed, four were seriously injured and another was missing, residents said. They said an additional 20 had died nearby.

Despite a massive effort involving thousands of military personnel and rescue workers, aid hasn't reached Yinping as fast as residents needed.

Rescuers arrived to dig out the living and the dead here Monday, but the work was slow. "We pulled three children out today," said resident Qi Zhongcheng, pointing to a makeshift tomb erected on top of the remains of one house out of corrugated tin and broken tree branches. "That one was 15."

But supplies have been slower. A shipment of instant noodles came Wednesday afternoon. Before that, residents said, there was no food other than some grain scraped together from collapsed houses, some potatoes dug out of the ground and preserved pork they salvaged from the rubble. By Wednesday night, they were still without bottled water.

Some rescue workers left tents, but they sat unused Wednesday night. The rescue workers had told residents the tents were unsafe because of falling rocks from distant cliffs. Also, there weren't enough to go around, and nobody appeared to want to take advantage.

Mr. Qi said the lack of help had left them feeling anxious about being forgotten.


Children eat noodles Wednesday outside a tent set up for earthquake survivors at Longtoushan, in China's southwest Yunnan province. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

"We're happy to have you here to report as long as it means the government knows we don't have anything up here," one villager said after journalists arrived.

[Syn7]

I can't speak for the US, but in BC I am familiar with the seismic codes. It would have to be a MASSIVE earthquake to kill 500 people here. Unless it was some freak coincidence that a ton of people happened to congregate in an old grandfathered building. But even then, they aren't exempt to the regs, just a lil relaxed given the context. The only realistic situation that I can see is if it was offshore and the resulting tsunami did the dirty work. But even then, it would have to be in just the right place so that Vancouver island didn't get the brunt of it, making Vancouver the frontline. Considering the lay of the land, this is also unlikely. In the last 20 years or so we have really stepped up our game as far as preventative measures are concerned.

[GeneChing]

That's true with California too, Syn7. But such is the cultural divide of the most populous nation in the world. They can't afford to come up to code, but they can afford to lose hundreds of lives.

19 reported injured after quake strikes China's Yunnan province
POSTED: 17 Aug 2014 17:45
UPDATED: 17 Aug 2014 17:54

At least 19 people were injured when a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck China’s Yunnan province on Sunday morning (Aug 17). China Daily also reported on Sunday afternoon that aftershocks were felt in the area, and warned residents to be on alert.

YUNNAN: At least 19 people were injured when a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck China’s Yunnan province on Sunday morning (Aug 17). Local media reports said rescue operations were underway.

According to local media, the quake struck Yongshan county in Zhaotong prefecture. Pictures posted on social media showed rescuers making their way through debris lying on roads and broken tiles scattered outside residents' houses.

China Daily also reported on Sunday afternoon that aftershocks were felt in the area, and warned residents to be on alert.

A moderate 5.1 magnitude earthquake also struck China's southwestern Sichuan province early Sunday (Aug 16), US geologists said. The quake struck at 0607 GMT +8 (2207 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 10 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.

The USGS said the epicentre of the earthquake was two kilometres southwest of Xiluodu and 96 kilometres from Zhaotong in neighbouring Yunnan province, where a deadly quake two weeks ago killed 615 people and injured 3,143.

- Agencies/xq

[Syn7]

Yeah man, that's super sad. I couldn't even begin to think about how to tackle that problem. One region at a time, starting with the highest risk, I guess. It's not like they CAN'T do it, more of a priority thing.

Are there more earthquakes in China or are we just hearing about it more? Anytime I see an increase in reporting any event, especially of the disastrous nature, I always have to wonder is it just cause we're plugged in, or is it an actual increase?

When it comes down to it, they simply have too many people. Something that is really hard to understand from our perspective. We really do have it good here. We can complain about this and that, but we are head and shoulders above most of the world as far as quality of life is concerned.

[GeneChing]

Rough, but at least no one died.

Look: Villagers in quake-hit Yunnan await help in dismal conditions



Groups of villagers in Jinggu county, Yunnan province were reduced to living in makeshift shelters as they waited for relief supplies from the government yesterday, a day after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the area and destroyed thousands of homes.



Villagers flocked to vegetable sheds and sought cover under propped-up umbrellas and blankets as they waited for government-issued tents and other relief supplies.



The quake hit just before 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday with a focal depth of five kilometers. The epicenter was monitored in Jinggu county, where over 7,000 buildings were destroyed and 13,000 more damaged. By Wednesday, nearly half of the 124,000 people affected had been evacuated.



In a written instruction issued yesterday, President Xi Jinping urged armed forces to join quake relief work as soon as possible.





The official death toll from the earthquake stands at just one person. Huang Fugang, director of the provincial seismological administration, has attributed the low casualty count to the prevalence of wood-framed homes in the area which are able to better withstand earthquakes.





This is the second strong earthquake to hit Yunnan province in the past couple of months. A 6.5-magnitude quake shook Ludian county on August 3, killing over 600 people and devastating the surrounding area.

[GeneChing]

Loma Preita was 6.9

6.3 magnitude earthquake hits Sichuan, at least 4 reported dead



A powerful earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude struck Sichuan province late Saturday afternoon, Sina News reported. At least four have been reported dead, with more than 50 injured and around 25,000 houses damaged.



Xinhua also reported that the earthquake forced students to flee from a primary school in Tagong town, situated near the epicenter, with 42 of these students injured in a stampede caused by the rush. Currently, all of the injured have been sent to Ganzi People's Hospital in Kangding. Rescuers rushed to the epienter around 6.40pm in the evening.



Residents reported feeling a strong tremor in Chengdu, about 325 km north of the epicenter, according to chinanews.com.




"The house windows were shaking violently. Some people rushed out of the building," a woman in Chengdu said. While no building collapses have been reported, many have sustained injuries from the wreckage caused by shaking houses, and multiple cracks have been seen on other buildings. The situation seems to be stable for now, with no major traffic flows or utility supplies being disrupted.

Large numbers of rescue workers have been mobilized to deal with the extent of the damage.




In 2008, a devastating earthquake that hit the province in 2008 left more than 87,000 people dead or missing.

Photos via Weibo

[GeneChing]