8,500 dead as earthquake hits China

[nadinbrzezinski]

Source: The Press Associaltion

Tens of thousands of people were feared dead in a huge earthquake that shattered central China.
Shockwaves from the 7.8 magnitude quake centred in the Sichuan province were felt as far away as Vietnam and Thailand.
The official death toll from the region of small cities and towns was put at around 8,500 but with reports coming in of collapsed hospitals, schools, factories and office blocks it was expected to climb much higher.

Read more: http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iSm5aKT-F-fW_k9NLyR4F1X2v5Lg

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Folks this is yet another tragedy...

And yes, quakes MIGHT be related to global warning, as the ice melts the pressure on the Earth's crust decreases...

Anyway send your prayers along... as this will affect many folks

[superconnected]

1. From what I'm reading, several schools collapsed - at least 5.

These were from elementary schools to highschools.

The quake happened in the afternoon so the schools were full.

In some providences 80 percent of the building collapsed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. As as a chemical plant and several hospitals

it is a nightmare

[niyad]

2. the first report I heard said it was in beijing, which would have been even more horrendous.

prayers for all.

[mike_c]

4. best wishes for the chinese-- this looks really bad....

The death toll is going to go MUCH higher in the coming days.

[pdxprog]

5. MercyCorps is set up to accept donations...

...to aid victims of this disaster in cooperation with their local partner, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA).

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. And you can bet the International Committee of the Red Cross is

ready as well

[pnwmom]

7. Thanks. And welcome to DU, pdxprog! n/t

[jwirr]

8. It seems to have happened in an area of small communities and

not the big cities. That is of some comfort - it could have been a lot worse if it had hit Beijing.

[Indenturedebtor]

10. No that is bad reporting from our news stations

A small city for China is like Chicago. Chengdu and many of the towns in Sichuan are pretty damn big.

Many of the small towns in that region near Tibet still have whole districts entirely made up of 1000 year old houses that were build to withstand the quakes (and they have), but Chengdu is full of 20 story apartment and office buildings... chocablock full of the communist style tenaments.

This is a horrible tragedy :( The people in that part of China are just wonderful and my heart goes out to them :(

Something I didn't know before I went: "Szechuan food" is really Sichuan food. Hot and sour soup etc.

[kineneb]

9. USGS report & map

[crimsonblue]

11. NO aid for China, until they provide human rights to their citizens..

and the people of Tibet. Also, I think I predicted last week that a big one would hit (due to the increasing number of tremors the past couple months), although I thought Cali was due for a big one.

[parkia00]

12. How compassionate of you!

Since it's the citizens that are suffering from the quake, you want to hold back aid to the citizens because the Chinese government is abusive to .. the citizens. Brilliant!

[redqueen]

14. Deny suffering citizens aid, because their government does bad things?

You can't be serious.

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. Just read - up to 12,000 now with 18,000 missing.

But China is pulling out all the stops to get help into those people. Not like Burma.

[libertyforallmen]

15. I only felt an earthquake once

It was in 8th grade, and one of my classmates panicked so much that he jumped off the 2nd floor classroom. He had minor injuries.

Let's pray for China's victims.

[trashcanistanista]

16. MSNBC reporting 18,000 dead.

[Wcross]

17. Don't be surprised if it goes well over 200,000 dead.

I heard on the news last night that a smaller quake 20 years ago killed 240k people in that same region. I would not be at all surprised if the death toll is extremely high.