May 12, an earthquake 30 times more powerful than the atomic bomb over Nagasaki devastated a part of southwestern China.
These are the sights, sounds and stories of survival, suffering, solidarity and strength that emerged.
" I am Grandpa Wen, kids you must hang in there, you will be saved."
- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in tears, encouraging two trapped primary school students in the rain
“娃……娃娃……妈妈……来不及……啊……” " Baby, baby, Mama didn't make it in time."
- Kindergarten teacher She Xiaoyan carried two children out, one in each arm, but her own child perished in the quake.
“我唱歌就不会觉得痛。” "If I sing, I won't feel pain."
- Kindergartener Ren Sili trapped under the rubble, starts singing a nursery rhyme while waiting to be rescued.
“我相信我爸爸会那样做，他就是那样的人，即使对不起家里，他也不会对不起学生。” " I believe my father would do that, he is that sort of a person. Even if he let his family down, he would never let his students down."
- Teacher Tan Qianqiu's daughter remembers her father who sacrificed his life by throwing himself on the table over four students, saving their lives
“摘下我的翅膀，送给你飞翔。” "Take down my wings for you so you may soar."
- Lyrics of a song penned previously by teacher Zhang Miya who gave his life, holding two students close to his side, protecting one in each arm.
“不要睡着了。” "Don't fall asleep."
- 16 trapped secondary school students whispered to one another. Rescuers had told them not talk so as to preserve their energy. They obeyed and immediately began instead to read their textbooks.
“下面一片漆黑，我怕。我又冷又饿，只能靠看书缓解心中的害怕！” "It was pitch dark down there, I was scared. I was cold and hungry and only reading alleviate my fear in my heart!"
- She comes from a poor family and was often seen reading with a torchlight on her way home. And that was exactly how rescuers found Deng Qing Qing 邓清清.
"你们别管我了，这里危险，放弃我吧，你们去救别人！" " Don't bother about me, it is dangerous. Give up on me, go save someone else!"
- An old lady Yang Yunfen 杨云芬 had been trapped for hours and was in terrible pain. A female doctor looked on as Yang held a sharp piece of glass and slit her wrist. The astonished doctor tried to apply pressure to stop the bleeding but it was too late. She watched on as Yang pulled off the gold wedding band from her finger, swallowed it and died before her eyes.
Total number of aftershocks : 8, 231 Number of aftershocks measuring more than 4: 178
At one dead and 260 injured in the strongest aftershock since May 12
At 4,21pm local time, an aftershock measuring 6.4 took place. It was felt in Chengdu as well as Chongqing. More buildings and roads have collapsed.
The occurence of aftershocks was studied by Japanese geophysicist Fusakichi Omori in 1894. The Omori law state a formula which basically found that the number of aftershocks drop over exponentially over time following a major earthquake. This has described the aftershock trends following most major earthquakes since then.
According to a study by scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory based on the October 15 , 2006 quakes in Hawaii,
... on October 15, there were about 74 significant aftershocks to the (magnitiude) M6.7 earthquake. This number decreased to about 11 the following day, and to 8 on October 18. Now, seven weeks later, we are seeing only 1-3 earthquakes per day in the region.
Aftershocks occur geographically near the mainshock ( the initial earthquake), usually on the same, or on a nearby, fault. The smaller earthquakes typically represent minor readjustments as stresses caused by the earthquake relax along the part of a fault that slipped during the mainshock.
The total number of aftershocks generally scales with the magnitude of the mainshock. In other words, bigger mainshocks are followed by more aftershocks. Aftershock sequences can last for many years following a very large earthquake, and aftershock durations vary in different parts of the world.
For example, current projections show that aftershocks following the 1995 Kobe, Japan, earthquake, which was similar in magnitude to the M6.7 October 15 earthquake, will probably continue until about the year 2018. Aftershocks from the December 26, 2004, M9.3 Sumatra earthquake may occur for several decades.(emphasis added)
... although the number of aftershocks decreases over time, there is no way to predict their magnitudes. Aftershocks can be felt for months after a major earthquake, with the smaller events lasting years or even decades. The largest aftershock is usually about a full magnitude less than the mainshock.
Thunderstorms are expected in the quake areas over the next two days, hampering relief efforts.
Update on international assistance from foreign governments
Officials say rescue teams have been received from Russia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Ten medical teams of 271 personnel have also been sent from Russia, Japan, Britain, Germany, Italy, and Cuba.
A total of 23 countries have sent 1,621.9 tons of material aid. Of these,
148.83 rons of tents, blankets and medication came from Russia, 75 tons of tents, blankets and food came from Saudi Arabia, 2,300 tents from Pakistan, 1,000 tents from the Philippines, 277 tents, 560 kg of medication and medical equipment, 6,000 gloves, over 53,000 pieces of clothng and 1,750 kg of tea from Sri Lanka and 30 tons of food, tents and medication from Indonesia.
An official team of 300 has been set up to audit the donations received for relief purposes.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Almost two weeks after. This video reminisces about some of the most iconic and heartbreaking moments since the tremor struck.
The individual scenes
0:05 Premier Wen Jiabao look on as rescuers try to save a student 0:11 Two parents find the body of their child 0:20 A lady looks on helplessly at her trapped husband 0:28 A secondary school student holds on tight to a pen in the hand, to the death 0:36 Parents mourn and burn offerings to their deceased children 0:46 A 20 year-old rescued after 125 hours 0:58 Parents searching for their children in the rubble 1:05 A soldier takes care of a baby he found 1:15 A child salutes his rescuers 1:22 Graffiti on fallen walls 1:30 Tired soldiers taking a snooze 1:38 The national flag dances among the rubble, as the last structure standing in a secondary school 1:52 Children holding up signs of encouragement as the relief workers pass them by 1:57 Reunion 2:07 A soldier feeding a baby 2:15 A student holds onto his classmate's hand, urging his friend on as they wait for rescuers 2:24 Two soldiers carrying a child who has lost her parents to safety 2:36 The first victim whose rescue was captured on film 2:44 A father wails, surrounded by bodies of children laid out on a schoolyard 2:55 Two children are fed at a shelter point 3:04 A mother waited only to find the body of her child 3:13 A woman is forced to give birth in the open as her husband stays by her side 3:23 Soldiers risking their lives under risky conditions 3:33 Husband consoles their mourning wives
In less than two weeks, two devastating disasters hit Asia. On May 2, cyclone Nargis ripped through Myanmar, tearing up homes and flooding homes and villages. On May 12, China's Sichuan province rumbled with a 7.8 earthquake.
Authorities in both countries say the total number of people who died could exceed 200,000. Those left injured, homeless, without any means to support or feed themselves will many times more.
Donations are desperately needed to get relief to the victims but after the rescue operations have ended, a long and painful process of rebuilding will also be requiring support.
