The whole world was surprised after a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan County, 159 kilometers northwest of the Sichuan, the provincial capital city of Chengdu in Central China at 2:28 in the evening on Monday.
Reports revealed that more than 22,000 people were killed while tens of thousands persons remained buried or missing in crushed buildings after the horrible disaster. The authorities bother that the death toll might ascend to 50,000 while rescuers are running out of their time to locate survivors.
The official News Agency also disclosed the quake left 10 million distressed people right away in 44 counties and districts in Sichuan which half of the area's population.
Aside from Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Chongging, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou and Hubei were areas also greatly devastated by the quake. The massive damage to physical infrastructure remains to obstruct the access by land to the distressed area and heavy-down-poured of rains hamper access by air.
A study on the potential impact of the quake conducted by Xu Mingbao, a senior researcher at the University of Michigan's China Data Center, shows that there were approximately 12 million people living within a 60-mile radius of the epicenter of Wenchuan.
Meanwhile, history divulged that geologists had recorded more than 100,000 lives lost after an earthquake struck Japan in 1923 while closed to 800,000 lives were nowhere to be found due to a massive quake that hit China in 1556.
Earthquake is also one of the kinds of disaster. Disaster is a situation usually catastrophic in nature in which a number of persons are plunged into helplessness and agony resorting to a need of food, clothing, shelter, medical care and other basic necessities of life.
Truly, even, the Bible predicted earthquake as one of the major signs of the End times. In Matthew 24: 4-9 says, "Jesus answered, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, "I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Facts you should know about an earthquake
The initial shock of an earthquake may last a few seconds to almost a minute to be followed by aftershocks which are generally lesser in intensity than the first. After-shocks may come in rapid succession immediately after the initial shocks or the interval of after-shocks may vary from a few minutes to several hours or days and may keep repeating for weeks or months.
The degree of damage to life and property will depend upon the intensity of the initial shock and after-shocks.
At present, the occurrence of an earthquake could not predict but efforts are being exerted to develop instruments that can warn scientists of an impending earthquake.
Faults. Mountains may develop in somewhat different ways also. Sometimes these adjustments in the earth cause pressures so great that large rock masses rise or fall to new levels. These huge breaks or fractures are called faults. At these faults, large masses of rocks may slide up or down considerable distances.
Faulting sometimes causes earthquakes. Faults are still transpiring, particularly in regions where earthquakes are monitored. In fact, the main cause of earthquakes perceived to be a sudden slip of rock layers along a fault line. The movement of the rock layers against each other creates violent vibrations which can shake large land masses for several minutes. Earthquakes tend to transpire in regions where then earth's crust is under great stress.
Precautionary measures and directions when an earthquake hits
- Do not Panic but stay calmed wherever you are when an earthquake strikes.
Panic is a "sudden", unreasoning, hysterical fear, often spreading quickly." Panic is caused by fear, although those involved may not know what they fear. People may be tempted to join a fleeing crowd; the terror of persons in motion is sufficient to imply the presence of something to fear. When panic occurs, it may be difficult to control the group. It is just useless the attempt to argue with such a crowd but it can be controlled by assuming leadership or distracting key members of the group. Before considering the movement stage of the crowd, if possible, corrective response must be effected. control
- If you are inside a building. Immediately but carefully seek cover under heavy furniture like tables, bed or couches. This will serve as shock absorber from falling walls and debris or heavy objects. Do not try to get out of the premises like your house or building for you will not have the time to make it.
- After the initial shock or termors. If you can, slowly get out of the place where you sought cover.
- Shut off all main switches like gas tank and electricity.
- Be calmed when getting out of the building or your house and go to open spaces where you can keep a distance of about ½ the height of this tallest building in the area.
- Avoid using elevator to get out from a building because you might be entrapped.
- Wait for further announcements from proper authorities.
- Refrain from easily believing to rumors and speculative predictions.
- If you are in alley or street between tall structures and walls. Your first move must be to seek cover. The best areas to hide when an earthquake hits are inside parked cars, motor vehicles or strong structures.
- Beware of declining electric posts and wires, falling debris from buildings and signboards, street signs, etc.
- Stay away from loosely hanging objects that may fall.
- When you are inside a moving vehicle.
- In a Mountainous Area. Have presence of mind. Be alert. Stop your vehicle in a safe place away from abyss where landslides may occur but remain inside your vehicle. When an earthquake hits while you are driving along the city or town.
- In the city or town. Stop or park the vehicle in a safe area far from tall buildings and stay inside until tremors subside.
- After the initial shock or tremors. Slowly drive your vehicle and avoid passing near landslides, ground fissures, near damaged dams which are causing overflows of water and flood.
- Avoid falling debris and crumbling walls or structures when driving in cities or towns.
- After the earthquake. The community must observe and execute.
- Activate the Disaster Teams at once.
- Disaster Team consists of communications and warnings team, rescue team, evacuation team, fire brigade, damage control team and medical team.
- Communications and warnings team receives from authoritative sources and disseminates such as warning to all units and personnel.
- Rescue team insures that the members are adept in first-aid-treatment and locate injured trapped individuals and moves them to a dwelling where they can be safe and cared for.
- Evacuation team plans personnel movement routes and establishes movement procedures to carry out the company disaster plan. The team supervises and directs the movement of personnel within, into, or out the company premises during drills and actual emergencies. It assures that all company personnel comply with procedures indicated by the alarm signals. It also plans and executes emergency drills.
- Fire Brigade team recognizes the need for plant's the prevention program and designs such system and procedures. It assures that fire fighters know their stations, locations of the fire-fighting equipment in their area of responsibility and the alarm signals which direct them to their stations. It organizes and trains the members and directs each fire-fighter to go into action at the point of responsibility. It establishes the necessary schedule for periodic inspection of plant fire protective equipment and sees that inspection schedule are properly carried out. It assists in establishing the necessary relationship in the public fire department and with the area, industries for mutual aid.
- Damage Control team establishes a plan to respond to needed measures conceiving devices, ventilation, water, gas, steam valves, power switches, and others during an emergency. The team dispatches individuals or teams to pre-assigned control points for pre-planned and directed action at the sound of emergency alarms. It surveys and corrects damage to utilities and reports conditions which require emergency repairs and other circumstances.
- Medical team provides medical treatment to the injured and arranges for hospitalization of seriously injured workers. It cooperates in the training of rescue team of first-aid procedures.
No one can ever know when an earthquake would attack and, thus, preparedness is quite essential to ponder. But, above all, it's best to seek refuge to our Almighty God, for we can count on Him in horrifying situation like this, just as He promised in Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe."
