China earthquake: Day 2
Rescue workers carefully pull a young girl, a survivor, from under the rubble of a collapsed school in Juyuan, Sichuan province, yesterday. AP
Stories published right after a large, destructive earthquake tend to underestimate the number of deaths and injuries for obvious reasons. It takes time for rescuers and relief workers to get to the worst affected sites, particularly when roads and communication networks are heavily damaged. It is only days, or sometimes weeks, later that the full extent of the tragedy is known.
You'll notice that today's story has many more specific details than yesterday's story. It also describes the scene in areas newly reached by rescue workers. Clearly the situation is very bad and there are a number of factors making it difficult to help those in need. Read to find out what they are. Have most of the dead and injured been found or are the numbers likely to go even higher?
rescue – saving someone from a dangerous or unpleasant situation ช่วยผู้ประสพภัย
survivor – someone who continues to live after an event that could have killed them ผู้รอดชีวิต
rubble – broken pieces of stone and brick from buildings, walls, etc. that have been destroyed เศษอิฐ หรือซากตึกอาคารที่ถูกทำลาย
collapsed – fallen down ล้มพัง
underestimate – to think or guess that something is smaller, less important, etc. that it really is ประเมิณค่าต่ำไป
relief – of food, clothes, money and other assistance given to people in severe need สิ่งของบรรเทาสาธารณภัย
tragedy – a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die โศกนาถกรรม
Quake rescuers battle storms
Toll soaring, thousands buried, all Thais safeREUTERS / BANGKOK POST
DUJIANGYAN, CHINA: Heavy storms and wrecked roads hampered efforts to reach areas hardest-hit by China’s worst earthquake in three decades as the death toll rose above 12,000 yesterday.
State media reports indicated the death toll was likely to soar, with Xinhua news agency saying 10,000 people were still buried in the Mianzhu area of Sichuan province and that troops had arrived for the first time at Wenchuan county, the epicentre of the quake.
A strong aftershock rocked Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, yesterday afternoon, one of more than 1,950 over the past day and keeping nervous residents on edge.
‘‘Office workers in downtown Chengdu took to the streets again after the quake,’’ Xinhua said, adding it was thought to be the strongest since Monday’s 7.9 magnitude tremor.
Premier Wen Jiabao, visiting Sichuan, ordered troops to clear roads to Wenchuan, a hilly area about 100km from Chengdu.
Rain and thick clouds over a province famous for its giant panda reserves meant that military helicopters dispatched to the area could not land. Parachutists belonging to the People’s Liberation Army cancelled a rescue drop because of storms.
State television showed highways buckled and caved in from the quake and massive rockslides lining the roads.
In Dujiangyan, about midway between Chengdu and the epicentre, there was devastation, with buildings reduced to rubble and bodies in the streets.
Troops and ambulances thronged the streets, and military trucks able to do heavy lifting had arrived. Many residents simply stood beside their wrecked homes, cradling possessions in their arms. Others huddled in relief tents under heavy rain.
‘‘At least 60 or 70 old people lived there, as well as children,’’ said a hospital worker, gesturing to a building in ruins. Mattresses and household items could be seen poking through the rubble. ‘‘How could they survive that?’’ she asked.
soaring – increasing quickly เพิ่มสูงขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็ว
buried – covered with something ฝัง
hampered – made more difficult; prevented something from happening or progressing normally ทำให้หยุดชะงัก
decade – a period of ten years ทศวรรษ
death toll – the number of people killed ยอด ผู้เสียชีวิต
troops – soldiers, especially in large numbers กองทหาร
epicenter – the area of land directly over the centre of an earthquake ศูนย์กลางแผ่นดินไหว
devastating – causing a lot of harm or damage ก่อความเสียหายใหญ่หลวง
residents – people who live in an area ผู้อยู่อาศัย
on edge – nervous and unable to relax because you are worried about something กังวล เครียด
magnitude – the strength of an earthquake, measured with numbers from 1 to 10, with 10 being the most powerful ความรุนแรงของแผ่นดินไหว
tremor – an earthquake แผ่นดินไหว
reserve – an area of land where wild animals or plants are protected เขตอนุรักษ์พันธุ์สัตว์ป่า
dispatched – sent ส่งออกไป
parachutist – someone who jumps from a plane wearing a parachute นักโดดร่มชูชีพ
buckled – bent under great pressure ตกอยู่ใต้แรงกดทับ
caved in – fell down or inwards พัง ล้มลง
massive – very large ใหญ่โตมาก
midway – half way between two places ระหว่างกลาง
devastation – destruction ความเสียหายอย่างรุนแรง
thronged – were present in large numbers มาชุมนุมกัน เนืองแน่น
cradling – holding something carefully in your hands or arms คว้าไว้แน่น
huddled – gathered close together in order to stay warm, feel safe, or talk เบียด หรือ เข้ามารวมกันเพื่อให้ความอบอุ่น
gesturing – making a movement with your hands or head in order to show or tell someone something ให้สัญญาณ
mattress – the part of a bed made of thick soft material เสื่อ ที่นอน
poking – pushing out ยื่นออกมา
In Dujiangyan, about 900 teenagers were buried under a collapsed three-storey school building. Frantic relatives tried to push past a line of soldiers surrounding the school, desperate for news of their children.
At a second school in Dujiangyan, fewer than 100 of 420 students survived, Xinhua reported.
Their Majesties the King and Queen and Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn yesterday sent separate condolence messages to China.
In their message to President Hu Jintao, the King and the Queen said they were ‘‘deeply saddened’’ by the news of the earthquake.
‘‘We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Your Excellency and through you to the Chinese people and the bereaved families for this tragic loss. We wish the injured a speedy recovery.’’
The Princess sent a handwritten letter to the Chinese president, saying ‘‘I wish to convey to Your Excellency and through you to the bereaved families my heartfelt condelences for this devasting loss.’’
The cabinet yesterday approved US$500,000 (16 million baht) to help the quake victims and Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej cancelled his three-day visit to China set for tomorrow.
The Foreign Ministry said about 100 Thais in Sichuan province — mostly students, businessmen, state officials and Thai Airways International staff — were safe.
frantically – done in a very urgent or upset way อย่างลนลาน อย่างกระวนกระวาย
demolished - destroyed พังราบคาบ
desperate – very worried and angry because you do not know how to deal with an unpleasant situation สิ้นหวัง ท้อแท้
condolences – the things that you say to show sympathy when someone has just died การแสดงความเสียใจ
heartfelt – very sincerely or strongly felt ด้วยใจจริง
Your Excellency – used for talking with someone who has a very high official position, in this case, the president of China ฯพณฯท่าน
bereaved – someone who has a close family member who has died ผู้ที่สูญเสียญาติมิตร
recovery – the process of becoming healthy again after an illness or injury ฟื้นฟูร่างกาย อาการดีขึ้น
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐบาล
victims – people who have been injured, harmed or killed as a result of a disaster, accident, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย