[DIPECHO Network] Thousands flee China quake area over flood fears

[Ilan Kelman]

The Chinese media are also reporting the compounding tragedy of many
workers being killed by mudslides while repairing damaged roads, as per
the UK report below.

Ilan
http://www.ilankelman.org


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3960236.ece

200 Chinese relief workers buried by mudslides

Hannah Fletcher

A total of 200 Chinese rescue workers have been buried by mudslides in
the past three days, it was announced today.

China's state Xinhua news agency said the workers from the Transport
Ministry were buried while repairing damaged roads. Officials are still
counting how many have been killed.

The news emerged as China marked the start of a three-day grief period
for victims of the Sichuan quake with a three-minute silence.

At 2.28pm, exactly one week after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake devastated
the country’s southwest provinces, the country stood silent as it
grieved for the 70,000 people believed to have died under the rubble. 

All public recreational activities have been suspended, the Olympic
torch relay has been delayed and national flags are to be flown at half
mast.

Internet entertainment websites have been ordered to redirect users to
commemorative earthquake sites and theatres, cinemas, and nightclubs
have canceled or postponed performances.

It is the first time that China’s “ordinary” citizens have been
honoured in this way.

In Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, hundreds of people gathered for the
three minutes of silence. Beforehand, they lined up to take photos of
the flag at half-mast.

“This is the first time I’ve seen our flag like this,” said a
61-year-old man. “Before, this would never have happened for us
ordinary people.

“But now, seeing the flag down for the people of Sichuan, we know we
are all equal.”

As the crowd fell silent, some sobbed and some prayed. Across the city,
car horns blared. “It was a magnificent sight,” said Ma Zhangqing, 43,
after. “I wanted to cry.”

But as huge speakers announced the period of silence over, the throng
erupted into chants of “Come on, Sichuan! Long live China!” They
crushed in towards the flagpole and pumped their fists in the air,
screaming the words until their voices cracked.

The outburst comes on the back of a wave of nationalist sentiment in
China, as the country stands up to the perceived wrath of the western
world over Tibet.

But Meng Mei, a 20-year-old student leading the chanting, insisted that
this was not nationalism. “Wherever they are from, everybody wants
their country to be great.

“Everybody wants to support their country. It’s something that we all
feel in our hearts. I am not a nationalist. This is all for Sichuan.”

Donations to the stricken region from home and abroad have already
topped 10.834 billion yuan (795 million GBP). But Beijing today
appealed to the international community for more tents for the
estimated 4.8 million survivors left homeless.

In the past week, the bad news from Sichuan province and the
surrounding quake zone has not let up. The confirmed death toll rose by
another 2,000 today to 34,073 and is expected to reach 50,000, although
it could be much higher. The Sichuan government said today that more
than 71,000 people were dead, buried or missing. 254,000 people are
reported injured.

Donations to the region from home and abroad have already topped 10.834
billion yuan (795 million GBP). But Beijing today appealed to the
international community for more tents for the estimated 4.8 million
survivors left homeless.

A vast rescue effort by thousands of volunteers and 150,000 People’s
Liberation Army and police officers has been hampered by dire weather
and almost 150 aftershocks measuring 4 or more on the Richter scale. A
5.9-magnitude aftershock early yesterday morning killed three people
and injured one thousand.

“It’s a tragedy,” said Tian Quanyou, a 46-year-old taxi driver parked
on the side of Tiananmen Sqaure to observe the silence. “If only 80 or
so people had died, then that would be ok. “But 50,000
anyone who isn’t
moved by that has something wrong with their hearts.”