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General Category => General Talk => Topic started by: UPRC on May 12, 2008, 01:19:57 pm

Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: UPRC on May 12, 2008, 01:19:57 pm
I'm not going to link to any articles because this is constantly being updated, and I'm surprised that this hasn't been posted yet as I've been listening in on it over the radio for the past two hours. The death toll on this is rising and rising. Fifteen minutes ago it was about 300 dead, so... It's going up fast.

The quake measured at a magnitude of 7.8, and from what I've read, there were a few others that occured afterwards as well.

The quake was felt as far away as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even Vietnam.


CNN is being pretty up to date with this, so check out their main page.
http://www.cnn.com/


What a horrible event. I can't fathom what it is like to be in an earthquake because we don't get them around here.

It's bad enough when quakes happen in low population areas, but an urban area of China?? That's just awful, and I really hope that the death toll does not climb much higher.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: helter skelter on May 12, 2008, 01:31:48 pm
Wow, that is a terribly high number.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: tuxedo marx on May 12, 2008, 04:26:54 pm
The epicentre of this quake was in the 6th most populated region in the world (greater population than all of England!), so naturally the death toll is going to be huge.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Madolah on May 12, 2008, 04:32:00 pm
Rockamn is right but this is still a remarkably high number.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: UPRC on May 12, 2008, 04:35:24 pm
In the past two hours, the 3000 death toll jumped to 5000 and now to 8500. Fuck, that's horrible.

Apparently this death toll is just from one region which was greatly affected. The current estimate is not all the areas of China affected by the quake.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: tuxedo marx on May 12, 2008, 04:37:05 pm
Not particularly high. The Tangshan earthquake in '76 was of the same magnitude, and the death toll was at least 240,000, though probably more.

It is horrible, a tragic loss of life.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: UPRC on May 12, 2008, 04:38:06 pm
Quote from: Rockman. on May 12, 2008, 04:37:05 pm
Not particularly

Whenever more than a few thousand human beings lose their lives, I think any number is a significant one.

The quake was only a few hours ago. This could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: tuxedo marx on May 12, 2008, 04:39:26 pm
Aye, of course it's significantly high, but it's not remarkably high.

You're right, of course. Plus if that figure's for just this province, I dread to think what the absolute death toll may be.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: UPRC on May 12, 2008, 04:41:00 pm
I'd consider it a remarkable number, in general.. But not when it is stood beside the total population of our species.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: tuxedo marx on May 12, 2008, 04:51:09 pm
Nor stood against other quakes of the same magnitude and similar epicentre. (look up)
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Carrion Crow on May 12, 2008, 05:26:54 pm
I saw 7.8 and thought bugger me that's high for a logarithmic scale. So googling "strongest recorded earthquake" i get Chile, May 22nd 1960: 9.5 on the richter scale.

I think if I lived there I'd be forced to make a house immersed in a small lake of it's own to ward off those scary p and s waves.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: ase on May 12, 2008, 06:42:42 pm
F**CK YOU UPRC

I make a topic about >100,000 people dying in Burma and no one posts in it over the course of like 2 days and you post some puny little earthquake story and BOOM 10 replies in a few hours

damn you
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Kaworu on May 12, 2008, 06:51:06 pm
more people know of China than Burma.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 12, 2008, 07:00:38 pm
I think it's just because people don't care about burma.

Anyway, did anyone already blame this on the Global Warming? And why are there so many natural disasters happening recently?
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Cray on May 12, 2008, 07:14:29 pm
yeah, Chile had the strongest earthquake ever, the city where the epicentre was got really fried, and then like half of it was submerged by the tsunami that came a few moments later, because of the quake...
also I'm sorry to hear it, I hope the death toll doesn't go much higher than it already is.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Marcus on May 12, 2008, 07:36:19 pm
and america won't offer any aid... not because they don't want to but because china is a bunch of reds. 

still, even if they did extend an offer of aid it would only be turned down.  isn't it hilarious how the world hates you if you help them or say fuck off?
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: pburn on May 12, 2008, 07:52:59 pm
Honestly, I'd have to say, fuck china, I don't give a shit what kind of earthquake they get, they deserve it.

The people however, do not. :(
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Blitzen on May 12, 2008, 07:54:41 pm
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: AdderallApocalypse on May 12, 2008, 07:55:23 pm
Quote from: Cray on May 12, 2008, 07:14:29 pm
yeah, Chile had the strongest earthquake ever, the city where the epicentre was got really fried, and then like half of it was submerged by the tsunami that came a few moments later, because of the quake...
also I'm sorry to hear it, I hope the death toll doesn't go much higher than it already is.
Yeah, it was the strongest. Though, what about the Shaanxi, China earthquake in 1556 that killed 830,000 people. It was the largest death toll due a earthquake for which we know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1556_Shaanxi_earthquake

Either way, this is pretty bad. I feel bad for those people who died, or lost a family member(s)/friends.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Parker on May 12, 2008, 07:57:21 pm
Are you kidding me... Holy crap. This is awful. Absolutely tragic. :(

edit: angry black man:
Quote from: from CNN
U.S. President George W. Bush released a statement saying his country "stands ready to help in any way possible."
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:28:42 pm
Don't worry, with the way there overpopulating they'll make another 120000 in about half a week. lol I am just the worst kind of person.

but yeah any disaster of any kind is going to leave a large number of people dead because, China has something like a population of one billion + so of course the death toll will be high, If you mine gold in a place with more gold then anywhere else on earth then the amount of gold you will get is of course higher, if your on a website that supports halo there will be more 13 year olds then anywhere else on the internet. so yeah it's common sense any disaster in china is going to have a high death toll because theres 1 billion + people over there.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: xanque on May 12, 2008, 08:34:08 pm
Quote from: Dan on May 12, 2008, 04:38:06 pm
Whenever more than a few thousand human beings lose their lives, I think any number is a significant one.

The quake was only a few hours ago. This could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Seeing as 146,000 people die on average every day, I guess you must be a very depressed guy.

But this is pretty horrible.  I wonder how much was destroyed because of the quake.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Artis Leon Ivey Jr on May 12, 2008, 08:36:52 pm
Quote from: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:28:42 pm
Don't worry, with the way there overpopulating they'll make another 120000 in about half a week. lol I am just the worst kind of person.

but yeah any disaster of any kind is going to leave a large number of people dead because, China has something like a population of one billion + so of course the death toll will be high, If you mine gold in a place with more gold then anywhere else on earth then the amount of gold you will get is of course higher, if your on a website that supports halo there will be more 13 year olds then anywhere else on the internet. so yeah it's common sense any disaster in china is going to have a high death toll because theres 1 billion + people over there.

will you shut your stupid fucking mouth already.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:37:20 pm
Wikipedia = "The deadliest known earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with an estimated death toll of 830000" Holy **** the jedi's felt that one. Thats the largest death toll I've ever seen.

Edit : MN = http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ip_speech.htm
I like to keep my stupid fucking mouth open so I can breath, thank you.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: tuxedo marx on May 12, 2008, 08:39:44 pm
freedom of speech does not mean freedom to be a huge prick about it!
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:41:47 pm
Quote from: Rockman. on May 12, 2008, 08:39:44 pm
freedom of speech does not mean freedom to be a huge prick about it!

Fine I'll stop, damn, Not to hard to fucking ask nicely which I have never seen ONCE while I've been here.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: xanque on May 12, 2008, 08:42:15 pm
Quote from: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:37:20 pm
Wikipedia = "The deadliest known earthquake in history occurred in 1556 in Shaanxi, China, with an estimated death toll of 830000" Holy **** the jedi's felt that one. Thats the largest death toll I've ever seen.
If you think that's bad, the single greatest natural disaster killed up to 4,000,000 people.  That was the 1931 Yellow River Flood.

Then if you get into wars and genocides, those get into the tens of millions...
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:45:52 pm
Quote from: Xanqui on May 12, 2008, 08:42:15 pm
If you think that's bad, the single greatest natural disaster killed up to 4,000,000 people.  That was the 1931 Yellow River Flood.

Then if you get into wars and genocides, those get into the tens of millions...

Wow 4mil. must of been a hell of a flood. Thats scary to think of being in a disaster that big.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Parker on May 12, 2008, 08:49:51 pm
Quote from: Achiro on May 12, 2008, 08:41:47 pm
Fine I'll stop, damn, Not to hard to fucking ask nicely which I have never seen ONCE while I've been here.
hey can you please not say hurtful things about my species. we try our hardest. thanks!
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: AdderallApocalypse on May 12, 2008, 10:41:57 pm
Quote from: Xanqui on May 12, 2008, 08:42:15 pm
If you think that's bad, the single greatest natural disaster killed up to 4,000,000 people.  That was the 1931 Yellow River Flood.

Then if you get into wars and genocides, those get into the tens of millions...
What about all the famines and stuff that has killed millions more than that? Also, the Bubonic Plague killed an estimated 75 million, and I think that influenza has killed more than that back around 1918-1919.

http://www.scaruffi.com/politics/disaster.html
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Marcus on May 12, 2008, 10:49:44 pm
Quote
U.S. President George W. Bush released a statement saying his country "stands ready to help in any way possible."

wow, this is a surprise.  i doubt china will actually agree to the support but still wow.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: PTizzle on May 13, 2008, 02:34:56 am
Jesus, this has not been a good week or so for natural disasters.

I can't even begin to fathom what must be going on in Burma and China, I just hope they start accepting bloody aid because they're going to need it.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Mince Wobley on May 13, 2008, 02:42:46 am
I wonder how many more will happen this year?
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Grunthor on May 13, 2008, 02:47:59 am
Damn, I hope my friends are alright.  I think I'm going to be spending most of tonight on the net writing emails to make sure everyone is alright.  Fuck.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Achiro on May 13, 2008, 02:54:21 am
Crap grunthor that reminds me I got to see if king kongs alright.(ICQ buddy I only know him by his screen name, king kong, not being sarcastic making a King Kong china joke or anything.)
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: Xeno|Soft on May 13, 2008, 04:58:40 am
Quote from: angry black man on May 12, 2008, 10:49:44 pm
wow, this is a surprise.  i doubt china will actually agree to the support but still wow.

This is like me offering my X girlfriend some help moving into her new apartment, I'm pretty sure she is going to say no, but I look like a good guy for offering.  :gwa:
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: From Jungle on May 13, 2008, 05:10:27 am
8,500...

I can't even begin to comprehend that. That's just too many. I hope they accept the aide they need, because this is not the time to be stubborn. Can you imagine lining up 8,500 people then being told they are all dead? That's unbelievable.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: dada on May 13, 2008, 06:16:29 am
I can't believe there are people using a topic like this to say "yeah but some other disaster had more casualties so this one isn't so bad". How is this in any way useful? Don't you have anything substantial to say about this?

The death toll is still rising (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/13/asia/AS-GEN-China-Earthquake.php) as of right now, having reached the 10,000 already, and most likely will continue to rise for some time. I think that China will see this as an opportunity to bolster their muscles by giving the victims as much help as they can. This also means that official death toll reports may be conservative.

Quote from: Achiro on May 13, 2008, 02:54:21 am
Crap grunthor that reminds me I got to see if king kongs alright.(ICQ buddy I only know him by his screen name, king kong, not being sarcastic making a King Kong china joke or anything.)
Will you please stop making COMPLETELY irrelevant remarks every other post?

Thanks.
Title: Earthquakes in China, death toll exceeds 51,000 (1,000,000+ homeless)
Post by: UPRC on May 19, 2008, 10:13:43 am
You know what's worse than being hit by one earthquake? Being hit by two.

They've had a second, but this one was weaker, 5.8 magnitude I believe.