Ryan McLaughlin » earthquake

Moment of Silence today

Ryan — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:01:58 +0000

Just a quick notice to say to everyone that today officially starts a 3-day mourning period, and will include a 3-minute moment of silence across the nation at 2:28pm this afternoon.

Whether you are a reader in or out of China, please join me in observing this moment of silence and taking the time to remember the victims of last week’s tragedy and also consider how fortunate we are to not be in such circumstances.

Every day is a gift, and times like these remind me to live them as such.

More info about the notice here.

How us Suzhou Expats can help quake victims

Ryan — Wed, 14 May 2008 06:58:02 +0000

My friend Rebecca just let me know that Suzhou Bookworm, which also has an affiliated location in Chengdu, is collecting donations to assist those affected by Monday’s horrible earthquake in Sichuan. If any fellow Suzhou expats have means to help, please read the following for details.

The Bookworm’s sister branch in Chengdu has become a focal point for assisting those groups currently providing on the ground support for those in Sichuan affected by the earthquake tragedy.

There is a concern that unless we get urgently needed supplies to the survivors of the quake, more people will lose their lives from exposure, starvation, and lack of medical treatment.

The Chinese Red Cross are currently setting up operations in affected areas. In the meantime, smaller groups are doing what they can to provide food, water, shelter and medicines.

The Bookworm is assisting these groups, until the larger organisations are able to provide support.

Here in Suzhou, from now until the night of the 17th, as advised by the Chinese Red Cross, we’re collecting emergency donations of:

TENTS

DRIED/PACKAGED FOOD

PRACTICAL CLOTHES

QUILTS

EMERGENCY BLANKETS

MONEY FOR WATER AND MEDICINE

Our friends at DHL will ship all collected donations to The Bookworm Chengdu on Saturday 17th May.

Please drop off all donations by 4pm on SATURDAY 17th MAY.
Call Rebecca on 15995472835

Beyond these dates, our efforts will continue in accordance with advice from the Chinese Red Cross.

Thank you for your desperately needed support.

Am I the only one that didn’t feel it?

Ryan — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:35:16 +0000

So, as everyone is now well aware, China was hit by a major (7.8) earthquake at 2:30 this afternoon. Current reports cite nearly 9,000 dead, and its effects were felt as far north as Beijing, in the south east in Taipei, and directly east of me in Shanghai.

I had no idea.

At the time I would have been out getting Addie’s rabies shot and RF chip and though I can’t be certain, I assume I was on the road walking back home when it hit, but I didn’t notice a thing.

Reports from Shanghai and Beijing indicate that buildings shook for upwards of 2 minutes. Surely I should have noticed buildings swaying. But despite being closer to the

Strange.

This makes the third large-scale earthquake to hit Western China this year (one in January in Tibet and another in Xinjiang in March), but is the first to hit a heavily populated area. With Sichuan being China’s most populated province, and that population almost entirely housed in multi-storey apartment buildings (that seem shaky on a good day), it sadly leaves little question that the already massive death-toll is sure to continue to rise.

It also can’t help but bring to mind Tangshan, a city directly hit by an earthquake in 1976, which killed more than a quarter million people. Coincidentally, the initial quake in Tangshan also measured 7.8 on the Richter scale. In that case, and I pray not in this one, the death and damage severely increased when an aftershock hit the area 15 hours later.

For some detailed coverage of reports on the quake – check out this continually updated Shanghaiist article.

Here’s some YouTube coverage of the Sichuan quake: