Persistent Report II: 7.0-Magnitude Quake Hits Sichuan

Today is the third day after earthquake. casualty figures are increasing, rescue efforts are strengthened. How is Sichuan now?

Chapter Two

Latest Condition of Earthquake

A total of 3,244 aftershocks have been recorded as of 6:00 am Tuesday, said China Earthquake Administration. There were 100 aftershocks above 3.0-magnitude, including four between 5.0 and 5.9 magnitude and 21 between 4.0 and 4.9 magnitude. Death toll from the quake in Lushan county, Sichuan province, has risen to 192, with 23 missing and more than 11,000 injured.

Wounded are treating

The death toll in Baoxing — the only isolated county after Saturday's earthquake due to telecommunication failures, power shortages and damaged roads — had reached 26 by 10 pm on Monday, with 18 still missing, 2,500 wounded, 86 of which in severe condition, and 58,000 other people affected, according to figures released by the local government.

                                                            Rescue

1. Rival Web Firms Join Hands. Baidu, the country's largest search engine, launched a platform on Monday that aggregates information to help track missing people. The information was previously scattered on seven websites launched by different Internet companies, such as Renren, a Facebook-like social network, and Qihoo 360 Technologies, a Beijing-based Internet firm.

More than 17,000 pieces of information have been added to the platform, attracting about 245 million views from users by 3 pm on Monday, about four hours after its launch, Baidu said.

The platform is expected to save time and be a big help for those who otherwise would have to go to at least the seven websites.

Rescuers are Going Forward to Baoxing Country

2. Foreign motorcyclists give helping hand. For motorcyclists Brendan Frentz and Michael Kleinert, the friendship between them and Li Yongchao started with a ride following the devastating earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan province.

 

On hearing about the quake on Saturday, the two decided to join volunteers on Frentz's second-hand red motorbike in Ya'an city, where they ran into Li, who was rushing home to check on his family. The anxiety on Li's face encouraged the pair to offer him a ride.

3. 19,000 soldiers, officers dispatched to quake zone. A total of 19,000 soldiers and officers from China's military and armed police forces have been sent to quake-hit areas in Sichuan province, rushing to find survivors while helping resettle 24,000 locals.

Two Volunteers Give Children an English Class

4. Volunteer team helping students find sense of normalcy. Canadian volunteer Frentz, 22, along with 14 other students and three teachers from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in the provincial capital of Chengdu, set up a class for children temporarily placed at the school, the largest shelter in Lushan county.

The class has two sessions a day: from 9:30 to 11:30 am and from 2:30 to 4:30 pm.

Besides spoken English, the temporary school also provides psychological counseling, a sanitary and earthquake protection course, as well as basic finance curricula to students.