Tangshan earthquake
History will always remember the coordinates 39.6 N and 118.2 E. Mankind will never forget the historic moment: 3.42.53.8am of July 28, 1976 Beijing time. America, Japan, Sweden, Hong Kong and Taipei research departments measured this earthquake to be 8.2 on the Richter scale; China measured it to be 7.8 on the Richter scale. 242,769 people were killed, and 164,851 people were seriously injured. This fatality level is 2.4 times of the world famous Tokyo great earthquake, and 3.5 times of the Chile great earthquake! Most of the houses and buildings were collapsed. 800,000 people were covered with ruins! The energy of the earthquake wave released by the Tangshan earthquake was equal to the total energy of 400 Hiroshima atomic bombs.
It seemed an unexpected and quite powerful catastrophe, but nature had warned mankind. A number of abnormal phenomena had appeared in nature before the earthquake. Rates and yellow weasels in groups migrated and escaped. Winged insects and birds flew blindly about, as if they were out of their "senses". Fowls and dogs seemed disturbed and restless. Fresh fish in Tangshan markets were suddenly more abundant. Fish were easily caught. The sea rose and the clear blue sea water became muddy. Gas gushed out from a well. The well water overflowed one moment, dried up the next. Radar indicated a strange fan finger-shaped echo. Fluorescent lamps shut off, or when taken down they were still strangely lighted. Light yellow fogs with a smell of sulphur drifted out from the mine districts.
Surviving witnesses to the earthquake left true historical materials to later generations. They all saw the strange clouds, like a big fire in the sky, and heard a strange deafening roar. A farmer Tian Yuan saw a big fire ball coming out of the earth and going up into the sky.
Those who reported the message of the Tangshan earthquake to the State Council were four cadres and workers of the Tangshan mine. At about ten past four early in the morning of July 28, 1976, they drove the first revived car in Tangshan. It took over three hours for them to reach the State Council. As the several vice prime ministers comprehended the tragic situation of the Tangshan earthquake, they all wept. The State Council immediately assigned troops, mine ambulance corps and medical teams to Tangshan.
From ten o'clock that morning a large number of airplanes flew to Tangshan one after another. 100,000 rescue troops were rushed day and night to Tangshan from two directions. More than 20,000 cars ran back and forth to transport food to Tangshan. On July 30 a large number of airplanes and trains were mustered at the earthquake-stricken area. Then massive injured persons were transferred to all parts of the country. Rescue troops saved the lives of many survivors covered by the ruins. Soldiers pushed aside the crushed stone and lifted out the floorslabs using only their hands. A girl named Wang Zilan lived eight days and seven nights in the ruins nourished only by a bottle of glycoside salt water. Forty-six- year-old Lu Kwenlan lived thirteen days in the ruins without any water or food, going beyond the limit of seven day female life. Five miners of Zhaogezhuang mine were trapped in the mine for fifteen days before being brought to the surface. Through all-out efforts, Chinese people rescued twenty three French, nineteen Danish and nine Japanese who lived in Tangshan Hotel. On the afternoon of July 28 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China sent a special airplane to bring out these foreigners.
After the disaster, the earthquake research departments of China suffered people's sneers and severe scolding. Both 240,000 departed spirits and the living questioned them: "Don't you know anything before the quake?" The great earthquake of July 28 was not forecasted. Even one hour after the earthquake, the State Seismological Bureau still had not known the epicenter. Earthquake prediction is still a very difficult problem for mankind. 32 years have passed since Tangshan earthquake happened. People never forget this miserable day.
