China Earthquake 120508

"A strong aftershock early Sunday rattled areas still reeling from a massive earthquake in China, while fears of flash flooding and landslides hindered rescue efforts as the death toll continued to rise. The flood fears sent thousands of people fleeing in panic Saturday from areas near the epicenter of
last week's devastating earthquake. Chinese officials, meanwhile, said the
official death toll from the earthquake had risen to 28,881 people with 198,347
injured. Sunday's 6.0-magnitude aftershock shook the region near the
border of Sichuan and Gansu provinces just after 1 a.m., the U.S. Geological
Survey said in a preliminary report. Thousands of aftershocks have plagued the area since Monday's deadly 7.9-magnitude earthquake, whose epicenter was over Wenchuan county Sichuan province's Wenchuan county.

There was no immediate information on the impact of the quake.

Just hours earlier, concerns over a damaged dam and rising water levels at two lakes triggered the mass evacuation of 30,000 people -- including rescuers and journalists -- in at least 10 villages and townships, Chinese officials said.

People down-river from the quake-damaged Kuzhu dam in Beichuan county were ordered to leave the area Saturday afternoon over fears it might burst, according to Xinhua, China's official news agency.

Journalist Diego Laje, one of those ordered to evacuate, said a stampede of thousands of people began as military officers warned them to leave a low-lying area near the river. The two lakes were created when Monday's
quake caused landslides that blocked the Qingjiang River in Qingchuan county. Both bodies of water have fast-rising water levels, prompting concerns of flooding, an official at the Guangyuan disaster relief center said. The higher death toll was announced by central government officials at a Saturday
news conference in Beijing. Some 28,300 died in Sichuan province alone,
Xinhua reported. The officials confirmed the number of injuries at
198,347.

Rescuers, however, continued to pull survivors from beneath the rubble. At least 63 people were saved from Sichuan province on Saturday -- 56 of them in Wenchuan county's Yingxiu township, according to state-run Xinhua.

Monday's quake was the worst tremor to strike China in three decades; a 1976 earthquake killed more than 250,000 people.

More than 4,000 troops were sent to the disaster areas in Wenchuan. In total, 135,000 Chinese troops and medics are involved in the rescue effort across 58 counties and cities, Xinhua reported.

The scope of the operation is such that Beijing has allocated nearly $5 billion for the rescue relief fund." - http://www.cnn.com/, 18 May 08

"The grief is compounded in many cases by a Chinese policy that limits most couples to one child, a measure meant to control explosive population growth.

As a result of the one-child policy, the quake -- already responsible for at least 15,000 deaths -- is producing another tragic aftershock:

Not only must thousands of parents suddenly cope with the loss of a child, but many must cope with the loss of their only child.

China's population minister recently praised the one-child rule, which dates to 1979, saying it has prevented 400 million children from being born.Some wealthy families ignore the order, have more children and pay a $1,000 fine. In rural areas -- like earthquake-devastated Sichuan province -- families can petition for an additional child, but there's no guarantee the authorities will approve the request -- they usually don't.

That reality has cast parents like Li into an agonizing limbo -- waiting to discover whether their only child is alive or dead." - http://www.cnn.com/, 15 May 08

I remember my mum telling me that one of our relative was forced to abort her 9 months pregnant foetus. Goodness la, the government can be so cruel. Whats more if this kind of tragedy happens. One of my cousins is the only child in the family. The government should eliminate this policy luh! Its damn sad! Okay, but yeah, videos speaks, so watch the videos.