New Century China

China Quake Survivors Flee Aftershocks & Flood Danger

The nightmare for many survivors of Monday's earthquake is only getting worse as thousands flee potentially deadly floods that could result from landslides blocking two rivers in the north of Sichuan county. Residents were alerted to the danger by mass SMS text messages sent to mobile phones by the government. This is yet another example of how well the Chinese government is managing this crisis and using all the resources at it's disposal, both traditional and technological.

Further complicating the rescue efforts was yet another in a series of aftershocks, which not only served to destabilize already crumbling structures, but also increased the level of panic in survivors attempting to evacuate the area. Sunday's aftershock, measured at 5.7 by the U.S. geological survey lasted 45 seconds and struck fear into the hearts of many who thought that the shaking had stopped for good.

Sadly, several villages were swallowed entirely during massive mudslides, burying over 300 homes under an adjacent mountainside. Despite the pouring rain, rescue workers were still able to recover several thousand more bodies bringing the confirmed death toll to 28,881 casualties. However, officials are still estimating the final death toll to rise above 50,000.

Searching alongside Chinese rescue workers, over 200 rescue workers from South Korea, Russia, Singapore and Japan are also working to help find survivors still trapped in the rubble. Additionally, more aid from the international community arrived Sunday on a U.S. Air Force plane carrying meals, lanterns and tents.

Given the short amount of time elapsed since the initial quake, the response from the Chinese government is far more adequate than what Americans saw following the hurricane Katrina disaster. In just six days, the number of rescue forces helping victims has risen to almost 150,000. Furthermore, the government has already started offering cash payments to victims of the disaster, giving $715 to each family having lost a member in the earthquake. The government also announced it will be issuing daily food rations of $1.40 to survivors, which may not sound like much to Americans, but in China, could actually be enough to sustain starving people until the situation stabilizes.

Video Of Earthquake Recovery In China

This video shows dramatic footage of the ongoing rescue operation following Monday's earthquake in China. As you can see aid workers are doing all they can and the government is providing a significant level of support in the face of the horrific devastation that the quake caused in Sichuan province. The death toll is still unknown but powerful aftershocks are making the search for survivors even more difficult.

Chinese Remain Strong After Quake

Along with facing the devastation caused by Monday's earthquake in Sichuan Province, and despite the estimate that the death toll could reach 50,000 casualties, officials are already making significant progress in getting aid to the region and they're doing it quickly.

On Wednesday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao toured some of the hardest hit areas and met with officials in charge of bringing relief to area which was stuck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake last week. Despite the fact that the quake only hit a mere 96 hours earlier and that as of 27 minutes prior to the writing of this post, AP reports of strong aftershocks are coming in, the recovery effort is making phenomenal progress.

One might even call the progress incredible compared to America's slow response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Already, power is back on in most of Sichuan province and rescuers have already reached all 58 counties stricken by the massive shaker. This along with the fact that a whopping 130,000 soldiers and police are on the ground and over 12.5 tons of relief goods have already been airdropped is enough to stop and make one wonder if the U.S. and FEMA should borrow a few pages from China's emergency preparedness plan.

Although officials are saying this is just the beginning of the battle, it's a battle that's being fought with a well-crafted strategy and the hearts and minds of people in the U.S. and those from all parts of the globe are with the Chinese people during their struggle in solidarity.