Tangshan earthquake
The earthquake hit at 3:52 in the morning, lasting for around 15 seconds. Many sources list it as 8.2 on the Richter scale, but Chinese Government's official sources state 7.8 or 7.6. It was followed by a major 7.1 magnitude aftershock some 15 hours later, increasing the death toll.
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2 Damage 3 Death toll 4 Aftermath 5 See also 6 External links |
Early warnings
Many people in Tangshan reported seeing strange lights – so-called "earthquake lights" – the night before the earthquake. In a village outside of Tangshan, well water reportedly rose and fell three times the day before the earthquake. In another village, gas began to spout out the water well on July 12 and then increased on July 25 and July 26. Other wells throughout the area showed signs of cracking.There is also evidence that the animals had a sixth sense that allowed them to detect the earthquake before it struck. Reportedly, a thousand chickens refused to eat and acted wildly. There were also reports that dogs would not stop barking and even that goldfish jumped out of their bowls.
Although one might generally think that there was some sporadic success at giving early warning, it would be best to read the section on earthquake prediction, for further information.
Qinglong District Damage Prevention
One county in the Tangshan area was warned about the earthquake up to two years in advance [1]. This allowed officials to educate the people in the area about how to deal with major earthquakes. After monitoring stations detected the water was getting muddy, the whole county started holding classes outside and preparing for a great quake.As a result of their warning and public integration, no one was killed in the county by the earthquake (except for one man who died of a heart attack). This is an example of a near perfect integration of scientific information and public administration.
Damage
The large loss of life caused by the earthquake can be attributed to the time it struck and how suddenly it struck. The earthquake lacked foreshocks that usually come with earthquakes of this magnitude. It also struck at just before 4 AM leaving many people unprepared as they lay asleep.Before the earthquake, Tangshan was thought to be in a region with a relatively low risk of earthquakes. Very few buildings had been built to withstand an earthquake, and the city lies on unstable, alluvial soil.
The earthquake devastated the city over an area roughly 4 miles by 5 miles. Many of the people who survived the initial earthquake were trapped under crushed buildings and killed by a 7.1 magnitude aftershock 15 hours after the initial shake; several aftershocks in the 5.0–5.5 range followed later. Inside Tangshan, 78% of the industrial buildings, 93% of the residential buildings, 80% of the water pumping stations and 14% of the sewage pipes were either completely destroyed or severely damaged.
The seismic waves spread far, with damage in cities like Qinghuangdao and Tianjin and a few buildings as far away as Beijing, 140 km from the epicenter, were damaged. Even cities as far as Xi'an felt the tremors of the earthquake.
Death toll
The Tangshan earthquake killed 242,419 people according to official figures, though some sources estimate it at as many as three times that number. This would make it one of the two deadliest earthquakes in modern times, and the second or third deadliest in recorded history. Due to uncertainties over the number of dead in each case, it is not clear whether the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake caused a greater loss of life that the Tangshan earthquake: the confirmed death toll from the tsunami ranges from 228,000 to 288,000. Other earthquakes that have caused an extreme loss of life since 1900 include:- the earthquake of 1927 in Xining, Qinghai, China which killed 200,000;
- the Great Kanto earthquake which killed 143,000 in Tokyo in 1923; and
- the Gansu, China earthquake killed 200,000 in 1920.
Aftermath
The People's Republic of China government refused to accept international aid, and its own efforts were criticized as inadequate. It was also criticized for having ignored scientists' warnings of the need to prepare for an earthquake. The earthquake came as an event in the continuous "Curse of 1976" in China: it was preceded by the deaths of Zhou Enlai and Zhu De in earlier months and followed two months later by the death of Mao Zedong and the Gang of Four trying to grab power.The political repercussions of the disaster and its aftermath contributed to the end of the Cultural Revolution in China [1]. The Gang of Four accused Deng Xiaoping of sabotaging relief efforts as part of its "Criticize Rightist Deviationism" campaign. Mao's chosen successor Hua Guofeng took the opportunity to show concern, thereby solidifying his status as China's paramount leader. He, with Chen Yonggui, made a personal visit to Tangshan on August 4 to survey the damage. This visit earned him considerable prestige and two months later, he staged what amounted to a coup by arresting the Gang of Four.
In Tangshan, rebuilding started immediately, and the city was eventually completely rebuilt. It now houses more than a million people, and is known as "Brave City of China."
See also
External links
- "Tangshan: The Deadliest Earthquake" at About.com
- "Integration of Public Administration and Earthquake Science: The Best Practice Case of Qinglong County" at GlobalWatch.org
- 1976: Chinese earthquake kills hundreds of thousands (BBC, "On this day", 28 July)
