Magnitude 7.5 earthquake hits Sichuan, China.

[Contrary1]

"BEIJING, China - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck western China on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on its Web site.

The quake struck 57 miles northwest of the Sichhuan provincial capital of Chengdu at 2:28 p.m. (2:28 a.m. ET), the survey said on its Web site. It said the quake was centered 18 miles below the surface.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties or damage from the tremor which the USGS earlier put at 7.8..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24573168/

[krispos42]

1. That's a big'un!

USGS link:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2008ryan.php#details

[Hekate]

2. That's huge. It sounds like a city-leveler. Good luck to them all.

The article mentioned the Three Gorges Dam -- not to say it had been damaged, but just the mere mention of that behemoth in context of an earthquake is kind of chilling.

Good luck, says this Californian.

Hekate

[ColbertWatcher]

3. The dam is the first thing I thought of...

...fellow Californian here.

This is just Mother Nature's way of reminding everyone to check your earthquake or emergency kit!

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Map where earthquake occurred, map where Three Gorges Dam is...

[MiniMe]

5. I read last night that there were 900 children trapped in a collapsed school

They didn't know if they were alive or not. At least 107 are dead.

A powerful earthquake today killed at least 107 people in central China, state run media reported. The quake also buried nearly 900 students, according to the Xinhua news agency. The report had no other details on the fate of the children.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/12/china.quake/index.html

[ColbertWatcher]

6. Some pictures.

A crack is seen in a building in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, after an earthquake occurred May 12, 2008 in this picture distributed by China's official Xinhua News Agency. A major earthquake measuring 7.8 Richter Scale jolted Wenchuan County of Sichuan province at 2:28 p.m. in Beijing (2:28 a.m.EDT) on Monday, Xinhua News Agency reported. (Xinhua/Chen Xie/Reuters)


People stand on a street after an earthquake in Chengdu, Sichuan province May 12, 2008. (Stringer/Reuters)


A rescuer searches for victims after an earthquake in Chongqing municipality May 12, 2008. The most devastating earthquake to hit China in three decades has killed up to 5,000 people and left as many as 10,000 injured, toppling eight schools and at least one hospital, state media said. REUTERS/Stringer (CHINA)