June 14,2008 THE DAILY NEWS

NEWS TODAY
Sichuan Earthquake’s kill
count climbs to almost 90,000
A month after the The prime minister, Wen
Earthquake, 87,587 people Jiabao rushed to Sichuan
have been announced dead after being notified and the
and 347,176 people injured president ordered an “all
at the scene of the Sichuan out” rescue effort. Shelter
earthquake, with 18,407 and rescue is being given to
bodies unidentified. The 7.9 surviving and injured
earthquake that struck the citizens with the Red Cross
Sichuan and Wenchuan area and international donations
at 2:28 in the afternoon on being used to help affected
May 12 instantly caused areas as well. It has been the
fatalities across the area. It first time in recent history
is the strongest earthquake that China has requested for
experienced in China since international assistance due
1976, and affected a wide to the severity of the
range of areas including all earthquake. Damage costs
of Wenchuan, Yingxiu are estimated to be around
Township, Dujiangyan, 80 billion Chinese Yuan and
Mianyang City and dozens long term effects to last
more. Tremors from the years.
earthquake could be felt
from Vietnam and Thailand.

Earthquake warnings were ignored and China’s government to

start better disaster
preparation weak, experts say prevention measures to
ensure less deaths for
future earthquakes
Scientists have constantly Investigators report that
been warning about the the housing in the affected
dangers around the areas stood no chance
Sichuan area, yet stated against the earthquake,
they have been ignored. and better infrastructure
Settlement and housing and building codes needed
continued to grow despite to be invested. 80% of
the warnings. Building houses were reportedly
codes were all outdated. flattened minutes after the
Jianguo, a researcher with earthquake. Preparation
earthquake agencies said, and prevention measures
“The earthquake adminis are now advised to be the
-tration didn’t warn the priority of China’s
government enough. We earthquake management,
told them things should as the previous focus on
Earthquake victims to live in shelters provided by Red Cross and be built to 7th degree only funding rescue and
government fundings due to failure to evacuate in time.
crack resistance but we aftermath resources rather
should’ve insisted on 9th” than preparing is what led
to such a large death toll.
June 14,2008 THE DAILY NEWS

Survivor of the Sichuan Earthquake speaks Collision of two plates

along the Longmenshan
out: “I’ve lost my whole family” Fault was the catalyst for
this earthquake
Seismologists have just
revealed the cause of the
Sichuan earthquake. It was
revealed to be the collision
of the Indian Australian
and Eurasian plate along
the 249 km long
Longmenshan Fault,
where Sichuan lies. A
thrust fault ( crack in the
Earth’s crust) produced by
the Indian-Australian
plates shifted a part of the
Plateau of Tibet. It
thrusted the ground about
9 metres in the air which
sent countless aftershocks
that are still felt today.

At 2:28 pm when the “I’ve lost my whole family Criticisms are arising
Sichuan earthquake besides my own mother,” within the country about
struck, most children were she tearfully states, “I was the neglected earthquake Li Yong, a geological
still at school, which led to at work outside during the management plans and expert at Chengdu
the collapse of dozens of earthquake, and while I measures, and China is University states that
schools and the death of was holding onto a chair expected to start “The line of the middle
an estimated 19,000 for my life I could only enforcing appropriate fault is clear as string. It
students. Remaining think of my children. They precautionary measures. suggests continuous and
survivors and witnesses were crushed along with strong movement. Such a
recount their traumatic all of their school friends Reconstruction of the long and clear alignment
experiences faced. The few and I am left to grieve 1,300 schools affected should trigger a big quake.
kids who did survive were alone,” Li Huang along have already begun, with Other scientists have had
severely injured from the with many other parents this time earthquake drills similar ideas,” It has been
earthquake that happened have participated in to be in place and better revealed that the signs of
on what was supposed to protests and outrage at infrastructure that can danger around living near
be a normal day. Mother Li their lost children. “If the withstand similar natural the Longmenshan fault
Huang was part of the schools weren’t so poorly disasters. has always been apparent.
minority that survived the built, or we were educated Although predicting the
fatal earthquake, and is about earthquake safety, exact time of earthquakes
currently homeless and our kids wouldn’t have isn’t possible, the danger
living in government died such horrible around this fault has
shelters due to the quake. deaths,” Huang said. always been known for as
early as 1933.