This essay will discuss the recent natural disaster of the Great Sichuan Earthquake in China, which occurred on the 12th of May 2008.[1] The causes and effects of the disaster will be discussed, as well as how the Chinese government dealt with the situation. Also being discussed will be the problems that the natural disaster exposed, and what exactly the role of foreign aid for this disaster was.
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake occurred in May of 2008 and measured roughly 7.9M to 8.0M, killing more than 68,858 people with more than 360,000 injured over 18,000 missing.[2] First of all it would be prudent to define and explain what exactly an earthquake is, and how they occur. An earthquake is defined as being “any sudden disturbance within the Earth manifested at the surface by a shaking of the ground. This shaking … is caused by the passage of elastic waves through the Earth’s rocks.”[3] The waves are produced when some form of stored energy is suddenly released; these can be either elastic strain, chemical energy, or gravitational energy. However, some scientists believe earthquakes are also a result of the Earth expanding. “S. Warren Carey, who can be considered the dean of the expanding-earth model, feels that all the apparent plate motion is due to the crust of the earth accommodating itself to an earth that is increasing in size.”[4]
How did the Chinese government deal with this disaster? One of the main issues regarding the actions of the Chinese government is that even nearly a year after the massive earthquake, they still refused to release figures for the number of children killed in collapsed schools; some, such as Wang Xiaodong believe that some of the schools were poorly built or were missing essential reinforcement for the concrete. “Our political system has always covered up the truth and failed to take responsibility. It conceals all problems related to the political system. So this kind of calamity will continue to occur in the future,” states Beijing artist and activist Ai Weiwei.[5] “Although the Chinese government was initially praised … it then saw an erosion in confidence over the school construction scandal.”[6] Despite this, the government has spent roughly $441 billion dollars on relief and reconstruction efforts. The government also reportedly received roughly 35.28 billion yuan ($5.09 billion dollars) in donations of money and relief goods from locals and also from abroad.[7] President Hu Jintao ordered all-out efforts to help those affected by the massive earthquake, and the Chengdu Military Area Command had dispatched troops to help with disaster relief in where needed in the earthquake-stricken areas. Also, the People’s Liberation Army assisted the local government in Wenchuan county in order to help with disaster relief.[8] It was a relief to the people of China that the aid response was so rapid, and a mere 90 minutes after the earthquake, Premier Wen Jiabao himself flew to the area in order to oversee the rescue work that was carried out.[9] Even though their aid was surely welcomed, the Chinese government should have shared information with its citizens as they requested it.
There were a few problems that were exposed in the country due to the massive earthquake in Sichuan. The earthquake managed to upend the local economy, and many jobs were lost as factories were damaged or destroyed. Many people who once owned businesses in the devastated area no longer have those businesses as many were destroyed. However, the demand for construction workers is extremely high as they are needed to help rebuild buildings, homes, schools, that have been damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. Even those without construction backgrounds or schooling are finding work simply shoveling cement and such, in order to help their families.[10] A surprising number of businesses have opened up small shops in tents, selling their wares or expertise for a fraction of the price in order to help other quake victims. Many of these businessmen have lost their own stores, and homes. Li Guimin, 59, had a small tent supermarket set up as he has had to start from scratch, but with $300,000 in losses. He used to own three supermarkets, but they were all destroyed in the quake. Another young woman was meant to open her new beauty salon the day of the quake; she too lost her business, and also lost a good friend.[11]
Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan donated $1.57 million to the victims of the earthquake[12], and also previously discussed was the donations from other Chinese citizens. This essay has also discussed how the Chinese government aided in this disaster, however, what was the role of foreign aid? Due to how devastating the earthquake that wracked Sichuan was, and how extensive the media coverage of the event was, foreign nations around the world responded almost immediately with condolences, relief assistance and aid. “Two days after the largest earthquake to hit China in a generation, the Chinese Government … formally requested the support of the international community to respond to the needs of affected families.”[13] Also, people like Elizabeth Hausler, the founder of the small non-profit Build Change, are working to make sure that when people rebuild their homes they are stronger and safer than the previous ones.[14] Donations from around the globe also helped the Chinese.
Most often than not it is almost impossible to avoid such natural disasters; the only thing one can do is prepare for them the best they can, and aid when it is needed. In this situation, stronger built homes and schools would have been extremely helpful. If the school buildings had not have been missing essential support structures, would it have been more likely that not as many children would have perished? It is difficult to say, however one would have assumed that those schools should have been built properly in the first place. Also, the fact that it is so difficult for the Chinese people to acquire information is a troubling problem. It was not until May of 2009, just days before the earthquake anniversary, that the Chinese Government released its first tally of children killed in the disaster. In such circumstances, one would think that the sharing of information, especially when asked, would be necessary. In trying to shelter their country, the Chinese Government could be in fact causing more harm than good.
[1] Thomson Reuters, ‘FACTBOX: Asia’s worst recent natural disasters’, 31 May 2008. Online at http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-China/idUSL3065267520080531
[2] Wikipedia, ‘2008 Sichuan Earthquake’, 9 June 2009. Online at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Sichuan_earthquake
[3] Encyclopaedia Britannica Standard Edition, ‘Earthquakes’, 2005.
[4] Professor Bill Mundy, ‘Expanding Earth?’, Pacific Union College of California, Geoscience Research Institue, 1988. Online at http://www.grisda.org/origins/15053.htm
[5] Anthony Kuhn, ‘Chinese Seek Answers in Student Quake Deaths’, 4 May 2009. Online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103727282
[6] Wikipedia, ‘2008 Sichuan Earthquake’, 9 June 2009.
[7] Thomson Reuters, ‘FACTBOX’, 31 May 2008.
[8] Yangtze Yan, ‘President Hu orders utmost effort for Sichuan quake victims’, 12 May 2008. Online at http://english.gove.cn/2008-05/12/content_968505.htm
[9] Wikipedia, ‘2008 Sichuan Earthquake’, 9 June 2009.
[10] Melissa Block & Anthony Kuhn, ‘Workers find opportunity in quake-hit China’, 6 May 2009. Online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103852623
[11] Louisa Lim, ‘After Quake, Entrepreneurs Do Business in Tents’, 6 August 2008. Online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93047899
[12] GMA Network, ‘Jackie Chan to produce film about Chinese earthquake’, 24 May 2008. Online at http://www.gmanews.tv/story/97147/Jackie-Chan-to-produce-film-about-Chinese-earthquake
[13] UNICEF, ‘China requests emergency supplies to aid in quake recovery’, 15 May 2008. Online at http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/china_43935.html
[14] Melissa Block, ‘Building Safer Homes Before The Next China Quake’, 5 May 2009. Online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103781226
