Last Monday, a 7.9 8.0 magnitude earthquake devastated areas of Sichuan Province, crumbling roads and buildings, laying waste to entire towns and villages. The death count is now over 32,000, and they expect it to rise to above 50,000.
According to Bloomberg, over 200,000 people have been injured, over 220,000 have been evacuated. 4.7 million homes have been destroyed in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. 4.8 million people have been displaced. 12.5 million animals and livestock have died, and their decomposing corpses threaten outbreaks of disease as people struggle for clean water, food and shelter.
Today China begins three days of mourning. I ask you to join me in a simple, humane gesture, wherever you are, whatever time zone you are in, whenever you read this.
The people of China will observe three minutes of silence in recognition of the widespread grief and devastation wrought by the quake upon millions of lives, as yet unfolding...
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