Earthquake in China Kills More than 32,000 (update 4)

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Earthquake in China Kills More than 32,000 (update 4)

A giant panda at the Wolong Nature Reserve

Sixty endangered giant pandas at the Wolong Nature Reserve in Chengdu, China, survived the 7.9–magnitude earthquake. Three are still missing, and there’s no report yet on the 1,590 pandas living in the wild.

SURVIVORS STILL: A week after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake, miraculous stories of survival continue. China begins three days of national mourning today.

by Thea Deley
Informify Staff Writer
May 19, 2008

China’s death toll now exceeds 32,000, and is expected to reach 50,000. Aid pours in from around the country and world. Relief workers turn their attention to preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Meanwhile, people in remote villages still wait for help.

Sichuan Earthquake: Quick Facts

Quake Hit:	May 12, 2008
Confirmed Dead:	32,476
Injured:	220,109
Still Buried:	9,500
Aid Received:	$1.3 billion from within China and other countries; more international aid arriving, including two U.S. Air Force cargo planes filled with 15,000 meals and tents

Miraculous Earthquake Survival Stories

Earthquake experts say people can survive being buried after a temblor if they have enough water and hospitable temperatures. Rescuers discovered several such people:

One woman survived six days trapped beneath a collapsed power plant in Yingxiu. Rescuers had to amputate her legs to free her.
One man survived five days trapped beneath a collapsed hospital in Beichuan, escaping with only bruises.

Latest Sichuan Developments

Aftershocks continue. Yesterday a 6-magnitude temblor killed three people and injured more than 1,000.
Relief workers now focused on providing food and clean drinking water, and repairing sanitation—all critical to preventing the spread of communicable diseases; so far the Chinese government reports no health outbreaks.
Earlier threats of flooding from blocked rivers near the epicenter dissipated after troops diverted water with no problems.
Nearby nuclear facilities survived the quake safely, according to state-run media.
Although 60 endangered giant pandas survived at Chengdu’s Wolong Nature Reserve, three are still missing. Five reserve staff died in the quake.

China Mourns Quake Victims

Beginning today, China will observe three days of national mourning. Each day at 2:28 p.m.—the exact time the earthquake hit a week ago—the country will observe three minutes of silence. The Beijing Olympic organizers postponed the torch relay as well. Next month, the relay will pass through Sichuan province, where the quake happened.