MW 7.9 SW China 69,159 confirmed dead; 17,469 still missing

[Chacor]

Earthquake Details
Magnitude 7.8
Date-Time

* Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:28:00 UTC
* Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:28:00 PM at epicenter
* Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 31.104°N, 103.270°E
Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA
Distances 90 km (55 miles) WNW of Chengdu, Sichuan, China
150 km (90 miles) WSW of Mianyang, Sichuan, China
360 km (225 miles) WNW of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
1545 km (960 miles) SW of BEIJING, Beijing, China
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 5.7 km (3.5 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters NST=228, Nph=228, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=1.43 sec, Gp= 29°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=A
Source

* USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event ID us2008ryan

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqi ... s2008ryan/

[Chacor]

China's state-run media says troops have been sent to the disaster area.

Workers were evacuated from swaying buildings in several cities, but the extent of the damage is not clear.

[Chacor]

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said Premier Wen Jiabao was travelling to the area and troops were being sent to help with disaster relief efforts.

Five people are reported to have died, including four schoolchildren.

The children were killed, and more than 100 others injured, when primary school buildings collapsed in the Chongqing area, a large municipality near Sichuan province, Xinhua added.

Another person is reported to have died when a water tower collapsed in the city of Mianyang, in Santai County.

Chengdu has a population of more than 10 million people but the epicentre is reported to have been in a rural area in Wenchuan County.

State television said the quake had not caused major damage to Chengdu or to the nearby Three Gorges Dam.

[Chacor]

Almost 900 students have been buried by collapsed buildings during an earthquake in south-western China, state media reports.

President Hu Jintao urged "all-out" efforts to rescue victims of the quake, which hit 92km (57 miles) from Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital.

Premier Wen Jiabao is travelling to the area and troops are being sent to help with disaster relief efforts.

At least 107 people are reported to have died, but figures could rise.

[HURAKAN]

More tragic news.

[JonathanBelles]

A 3rd contender for Storm of the month and we arent even half way through. This seems like a bad month.

[StormspinnerD2]

A 3rd contender for Storm of the month and we arent even half way through. This seems like a bad month.

Earthquakes aren't storms, and they aren't exactly weather. Still, it is a pretty bad month.

[GCANE]

Epicenter is about 400 miles west from Three Gorges (31.1N, 103.3E). Resevoir backs up west of dam. Could this have been trigged by Three Gorges?

http://www.ctgpc.com/environmental/envi ... al_a_4.php

[Meso]

At least 3,000 people feared dead in earthquake in China's Sichuan province, state-run news agency Xinhua says.

[Chacor]

Between 3,000 and 5,000 people may have been killed by an earthquake measuring 7.8 in just one county of south-western China's Sichuan province, reports say.

Some 10,000 people are also feared to have been injured in Beichuan county.

Desperate efforts are under way to find survivors. One school that collapsed has buried an estimated 900 students.

President Hu Jintao has urged "all-out" efforts to rescue victims of the quake, which hit 92km (57 miles) from Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital.

[GCANE]

Some warnings concerning Three Gorges:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2 ... ldisasters

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF14/1465.html

[Typhoon Hunter]

Nasty reports now emerging, thousands killed in one county alone. I wrote this for another website. Many building were evacuated in Shanghai. Looks like the Chinese authorities are putting together a very speedy response!

Reports are emerging that a large earthquake has struck the central Chinese Province of Sichuan. Thousands are reported to have been killed and up to 900 students are buried at a school which collapsed. According to the China Daily and BBC the 7.8 magnitude temblor struck Wenchuan county at 1428 local time. The earthquake was felt as far away as Shanghai where there are reports that some building in the Lujiazui business district were evacuated.

Benoit Florencon, an internet trading entrepeneur in Shanghai said, "I was working at my desk when i suddenly started to feel dizzy and then noticed the roof lamps were moving. We are on the top floor of a 17 storey building, and it felt like the whole building was just marshmallow." More updates to follow...

For more information please see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7396400.stm

http://www.china.org.cn/2008-05/12/content_15177705.htm

[Chacor]

BBC News ticker: "At least 7,000 people died in earthquake in China's Sichuan province alone, state media says. More soon."

[GCANE]

I just heard from a co-worker in Beijing. He said the building he was in was swaying.

[Chacor]

"The earthquake created a crack in this building in Lanzhou, in the north-western province of Gansu, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre."

[JonathanBelles]

CNN reports 7,651 dead.

[GCANE]

It is night now. Unfortunately, IMO toll will be worse once daylight hits and they will be able resume searching in earnst.

[JonathanBelles]

Its amazing that the earthquake was felt so far away.

[Chacor]

It was felt in Beijing 950 miles away, and even as far south as Bangkok, Thailand.

[JonathanBelles]

It was felt in Beijing 950 miles away, and even as far south as Bangkok, Thailand.

Was it felt in the Nargis hit areas?