Dynamite
12-05-2008, 01:32 PM
At least 107 children and adults dead across China, 34 injured
An estimated 900 children have been buried under rubble after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck China on Monday, collapsing at least two primary schools and other buildings, the state news agency says.
The earthquake, felt as far away as Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam, has killed at least 107 people and injured 34. It struck about 100 kilometres northwest of the Sichhuan provincial capital of Chengdu at 2:28 p.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website.
The state news agency Xinhua said the children were trapped inside two collapsed schools in Chongqing in central China. At least four have died, but no further details were immediately available.
At least one other person was killed when a water tower toppled near the the earthquake, Xinhua said.
People flee swaying buildings in Beijing
In Beijing, more than 1,500 kilometres away from the epicentre, thousands of people fled buildings, which swayed for more than two minutes after the quake struck. In Taipei, near the southeastern Chinese coast, buildings also shook violently.
The Global Disaster Alert and Co-ordination System (GDAC) issued a statement saying the quake could have a "high humanitarian impact" and spark deadly landslides. GDAC, which is run by the United Nations and European Commission, said while the epicentre was in a sparsely populated area, the nearby city of Chengdu is home to about 10 million people.
Calls to emergency response numbers in Chengdu rang constantly busy on Monday, as telephone and power networks appeared to be down in much of the area, making it difficult to get information about the disaster.
"In Chengdu, mobile telecommunication converters have experienced jams and thousands of servers were out of service," said Sha Yuejia, deputy chief executive officer of China Mobile.
One Israeli student managed to text message the Associated Press from the city, saying there were widespread power outages and water outages.
"Traffic jams, no running water, power outs, everyone sitting in the streets, patients evacuated from hospitals sitting outside and waiting," the student said.
Xinhua said an underground water pipe ruptured near the city's southern railway station, flooding a main thoroughfare.
A magnitude-7.5 earthquake is considered a major event, capable of causing widespread damage and injuries in populated areas.
Link (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/12/quake-china.html)
Edit: Latest news regarding this is between 5000 are feared dead & 10000 people are feared injured
Link To Latest China Earthquake (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23689086-12377,00.html)
An estimated 900 children have been buried under rubble after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck China on Monday, collapsing at least two primary schools and other buildings, the state news agency says.
The earthquake, felt as far away as Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam, has killed at least 107 people and injured 34. It struck about 100 kilometres northwest of the Sichhuan provincial capital of Chengdu at 2:28 p.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website.
The state news agency Xinhua said the children were trapped inside two collapsed schools in Chongqing in central China. At least four have died, but no further details were immediately available.
At least one other person was killed when a water tower toppled near the the earthquake, Xinhua said.
People flee swaying buildings in Beijing
In Beijing, more than 1,500 kilometres away from the epicentre, thousands of people fled buildings, which swayed for more than two minutes after the quake struck. In Taipei, near the southeastern Chinese coast, buildings also shook violently.
The Global Disaster Alert and Co-ordination System (GDAC) issued a statement saying the quake could have a "high humanitarian impact" and spark deadly landslides. GDAC, which is run by the United Nations and European Commission, said while the epicentre was in a sparsely populated area, the nearby city of Chengdu is home to about 10 million people.
Calls to emergency response numbers in Chengdu rang constantly busy on Monday, as telephone and power networks appeared to be down in much of the area, making it difficult to get information about the disaster.
"In Chengdu, mobile telecommunication converters have experienced jams and thousands of servers were out of service," said Sha Yuejia, deputy chief executive officer of China Mobile.
One Israeli student managed to text message the Associated Press from the city, saying there were widespread power outages and water outages.
"Traffic jams, no running water, power outs, everyone sitting in the streets, patients evacuated from hospitals sitting outside and waiting," the student said.
Xinhua said an underground water pipe ruptured near the city's southern railway station, flooding a main thoroughfare.
A magnitude-7.5 earthquake is considered a major event, capable of causing widespread damage and injuries in populated areas.
Link (http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/05/12/quake-china.html)
Edit: Latest news regarding this is between 5000 are feared dead & 10000 people are feared injured
Link To Latest China Earthquake (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23689086-12377,00.html)