Update: 7,000 dead in China earthquake

Update: MSNBC just reported 7,000 dead, though online reports haven't updated the figures yet.

As if the Myanmar cyclone wasn't bad enough, a 7.8 earthquake struck the Sichuan province Monday afternoon at 2:28pm, and early reports say there's between 3,000-5,000 dead from just that one province.  I know we're all concerned about the primary battle and all, but there's real tragedy going on elsewhere in the world too.

This tells you how massive the quake was.

The temblor was felt as far away as Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand.

There's reports of as many as 900 students trapped after their school collapsed.

Xinhua reporters in Juyuan township, about 60 miles from the epicenter, saw buried teenagers struggling to break loose from underneath the rubble of their three-story school building "while others were crying out for help."

Two girls were quoted by Xinhua as saying they escaped because they had "run faster than others."

Now, China is notorious for not telling the whole truth about a lot of things, and they're known to downplay casualties when natural disasters strike, or when their lack of safety standards leads to miners getting killed underground.  So when China's own news agency is reporting at least 3,000 dead with 10,000 injured, the real toll is probably a lot worse than that.

And their latest breaking news says a hospital has collapsed in Dujiangyan city, in the Sichuan province.

•  International relief agencies...

  like Red Cross Red Crescent will need help and supplies to assist in the upcoming relief effort.

  What are some good agencies to donate to?

  by BruinKid on Mon May 12, 2008 at 06:56:23 AM PDT

  •  Save it for Burma

    The Chinese are well capable of dealing with this on their own.  The few efforts they have made to help with others on the international front have been carefully orchestrated for propaganda.

    I know this sounds harsh, and the loss of life is terrible, but this is really a Chinese problem.

    If you feel compelled to help somebody, direct it to cyclone relief in Burma.  Thousands continue to die there and your support will save lives.

    by CA Libertarian on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:06:58 AM PDT

    •  donate to a shelter box please.....

      Each aid Box contains a 10‐person tent, sleeping mats and mosquito netting, a stove and cooking implements, emergency water purification supplies, and hand tools. The Box and contents become the property of the recipients. Additional Boxes for Myanmar are currently being assembled by community volunteers in the organization’s Operations Centre in Cornwall, UK. The quantities available for Myanmar relief depend on incoming donations to sponsor the Boxes. A chartered flight of 1000 ShelterBoxes is expected to arrive next week with a second relief team. Box sponsors are individuals, Rotary clubs, and community, church and school groups in the six countries that ShelterBox currently has national affiliates established, including UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. A complete ShelterBox costs $1,000 to sponsor, but financial contributions of any amount are welcome.

      US donations may be directed to ShelterBox USA, 8374 Market St. #203, Bradenton FL 34202 or online @
      http://www.shelterboxusa.org.

      my diary keeping track of Daily Kos donations  so far 695 towards one box!!!

      http://www.dailykos.com/...

      the link to donate here
      on the left hand side

      http://www.shelterboxusa.org/

      by TexMex on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:14:52 AM PDT

    •  I wouldn't call it a "Chinese problem"

      This kind of devastation is everyone's problem, but agree that they have more resources to deal with this catastrophe than Burma.

      by ksh01 on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:25:00 AM PDT

      •  We Can Make Many Friends

        by being positive and helpful in a constructive way.  A great friend of mine from Chengdu, a brilliant young man, explained that he was nationalistically outraged when we bombed the Chinese Embassy in the former Yugoslavia.  

        Through student exchanges, as he got to know and become friends with people from here (Phoenix), Taiwan, and other places, his entire world-view changed.  

        Citizen diplomacy can have a new and important place in the way we deal w/folks around the globe in an Obama Administration.

        We can begin now....

        by serrano on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:30:00 AM PDT

        •  That leaves a lot of diplomatic room

          In between bombing their embassy and rushing in airlifts of aid.

          Yes, of course we should show compassion and offer assistance.

          But I'd still be cautious on the latter as the Chinese could easily spin it as patronizing.

          A token offer would be consistent with Chinese efforts and is probably the right balance.

          by CA Libertarian on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:34:19 AM PDT

          •  I Think the Tone if Far More Important

            than the substance...expressions of genuine concern would no doubt be very welcome.  From Phoenix, we will be communicating today our profound concern and offer to do what we can---things like that mean a lot at times like these.

            It's nice to know you're not alone, and that friends are friends...

            Former Mayor of Taipei (now President of Taiwan) Ma Ying-jeou once meaningfully repeated (here in Phoenix) the cliche, "A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed", indicating that when Phoenix extended the hand of friendship in 1977 to Taipei, just as the world was turning its back on them in response to insistence from the Mainland, it meant a great deal to them, and does to this very day...

            I think we sometimes underestimate the impact of gestures, respect, and friendship to people in other countries....

            by serrano on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:46:05 AM PDT

    •  They need different things

      Let's seek truth from facts:

      Myanmar

      32,000 fatalities
      Hundreds of thousands homeless
      Epidemics of waterbourne desease
      Dwindling food supply

      They badly need suvival kits and high enegy food rations anlong with medical supplies and medical support. Getting more relief workers inside will be difficult but today there was a breakthrough accepting aid. However, the situation is dire and getting worse.

      China
      10-15,000 fatalities and climbing
      Hundreds of thousands homeless or displaced
      Thousands buried under rubble needing rescue

      The government response has been quick and well organized. The have requested aid in the form of medicine, medical workers and tenting materials. The most urgent problem is rescue operations and medical treatment of injured.

      ::

      I agree China is more capable to handle their situation and more willing to cooperate with NGOs to save lives, but 500,000 buildings down is no trivial problem. So I'd suggest any donations be through the Red Cross which has a base of operations near the scene.

      There is a well coordenated effort to help Myanmar but we all know the situation depends equally on diplomatic efforts to get the government to stand aside and let the world help. However, they will need on-going aid for some time so I'd request people to REMEMBER.

      Anyone that can help is welcome. Finally, this is People to People.

      Thanks to everyone.

      by koNko on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:49:47 AM PDT

  •  Wow!!! Chilling!!!

    Dujiangyan is a gorgeous place, with a fantastic park w/thousands of flowers of every hue at the site of an ancient spot where the river's course was modified to control the flow w/o the use of dams.  

    I have met the managers (they were here for training at ASU), and my prayers are with all there.

    Chengdu is Phoenix' Sister City, and we are to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of our Official Friendship in November...

    Chengdu was the base for the Flying Tigers in WWII...

    Pity the Pandas....

    by serrano on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:13:39 AM PDT

  •  Hi BruinKid

    I think your diary was actually posted first but I hadn't seen it, so I've crosslinked to here from mine.  

    Thanks for your good diary and comments, your concern and help is very appreciated. It will help someone.

    Are you a UCLA student or alumni?

    by koNko on Tue May 13, 2008 at 12:28:52 AM PDT

•  MSNBC TV (Mika B)

  just reported that in just one county, 5000 are dead and 80% of the buildings have collapsed.  

  by Ellicatt on Mon May 12, 2008 at 06:59:24 AM PDT

  •  5000-10000

    5000 dead, another 10,000 injured or missing, was the latest number to come across NPR.  7.8 is one hell of a shake.

    by Devilstower on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:01:36 AM PDT

  •  My fiancee was watching the MSNBC report...

    ...on the web at exactly the same time that I was reading Bruin Kid's report.  It's beyond eerie to have that happen.

    by Neon Vincent on Mon May 12, 2008 at 08:56:49 AM PDT

•  Best place for info I've found so far is...

  link

  by platypus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:05:15 AM PDT

•  and one note of even worse news

  Five to eight power plants completely knocked off the grid. Rescue mission will go on in the dark.

  by platypus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:07:32 AM PDT

•  Zwoof, phone home.

  by Friend of the court on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:11:38 AM PDT

•  More updates from Chinese media

  Several hundred people trapped at two chemical plants in Sichuan. Over 80 tonnes of liquid gases leaked.

  I would link to the report, but it's all in Chinese.

  by platypus on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:13:25 AM PDT

•  I think I heard that the 5000 was in one county

  alone, not even one province.  Just horrific.

  I hope everyone gives some thought to emergency planning.  I've started thinking about it more recently and stored a bag of necessities under my bed in case we have an earthquake and lose power.  

  The other thing I've done is save an old phone that doesn't need electricity in case power or cell capabilities are down.

  by ksh01 on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:23:20 AM PDT

•  MSNBC Marquee

  Here's what is on MSNBC breaking news marquee right now:

  7000 killed in Sichuan province alone

  Quake topples 80% of buildings in one china county

  2 aftershocks 6.0 and 5.4

  Felt over 200 miles away

  phones cut off, more deaths feared

  by joanneleon on Mon May 12, 2008 at 07:36:49 AM PDT

•  HuffPo reporting more than 8,500 dead. nt

  by vertexoflife on Mon May 12, 2008 at 10:33:03 AM PDT