Latest Update on Eathquake in China

China had two aftershocks over the weekend further damaging the countries infrastructure and causing another 60 injuries, 6 of which are critical and destroyed another 420,000 homes.

The current death toll as of this writing is now above 67,000. Such a large number of dead and injured are children that China is making the unprecedented step of issuing certificates to parents to have a second child if the parents had a child killed or seriously injured in the earthquake.

Many areas are being evacuated either due to large scale flooding from massive amounts of debris blocking rivers in what are being called quake lakes. In some cases large parts of mountains literally fell into the rivers blocking the flow of the water. Currently the numbers being evacuated are around 150,000.

Also in a reversal from earlier reports China is saying that about 69 dams are on the verge of collapse after they down played the damage for the last two weeks. China is home to more dams than any other country and also constitutes about half of the worlds dams.

Fears are also rising about outbreaks of disease since survivors are living in cramped and sometimes unsanitary spaces. Officials say there have been cases of diarrhea, tuberculosis, and hepatitis among survivors, and they are monitoring the cases closely.

Help is badly needed in China, if you can please make a donation to one of the organisations below, to help.

Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5

Update: 7.9 Earthquake In China

The 7.9 Earthquake that hit China several days ago has been devastating with over 19,500 reported dead as of this writing and estimated projections are putting that number at around 50,000. The magnitude was increased from early reports of it being a 7.8 quake.

Massive damage to critical infrastructure has also taken its toll. At least one school and one hospital were completely destroyed along with countless homes leveled to the ground.

Bridges collapsed and about 400 dams were damaged, some with severe cracks that workers are currently trying to repair before they burst.

China has sent about 130,000 troops to assist with rescue efforts, but getting them to the epicenter has been tough, as most roads are still obstructed with debris. The country has also attempted several airdrops of aid and rescuers but was called off after being deemed unsuccessful.

Worries of epidemics are also setting in, but so far no disease outbreaks have been reported. However, with the recent surge in several diseases such as Hand, Foot and Mouth disease and with the Bird Flu virus making a strong comeback across the Asian Continent at the moment it could compound an already difficult situation.

I'll report more on this as more stories and reports expand on the China Earthquake.

Want to help? You can Donate.

Video From CNN

Video from FNC

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5
Source 6
Source 7
Source 8

7.8 Earthquake In China

A strong earthquake hits China, measuring 7.8 in magnitude and felt as far away as Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan.

Reports are that the quake has caused 80 percent of buildings to collapse, trapping and burying many people. In one area a school collapsed and 900 children are buried under the remains of the building

As of this writing the death toll has passed 8,500 and is expected to increase reports are also indicating about 10,000 injured.

The power and water systems have been knocked out and much of the communications systems and networks are not operational. Though phone service is disrupted it has been reported that some have been able to get text messages through in some cases. It has also stopped service at several airports.

The quake was centered about 60 miles northwest of Chengdu, in Sichuan province.

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3

Early Season,Typhoon Neoguri Reaches South China

The Typhoon Neoguri reached China on Friday evening local time, and weakened into a severe tropical storm.

The storm which caused the evacuation of about 120,000 people from the low lying areas of the southern island province of Hainan, China "Will be the earliest typhoon of the season to affect the south China region since the founding of new China in 1949" said Chen Lei, deputy commander of the State Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief.

The Xinhua News agency that provided the quote from Chen Lei, was also reporting that "The storm was expected to be one of the strongest in history to hit the region."

22,000 Fishing boats were called back to harbor however 56 fishermen were reported missing. A maritime rescue team set out at 11:00 to look for the 56 missing fishermen after officials had lost contact since Thursday evening with three boats sheltering near a reef in the Xisha Archipelago in the South China Sea, according to the Xinhua News agency.

All Ferry services in the area were suspended but flights in and out continued.

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3