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The chandeliers of Beijing swayed this morning at 8.02am with the tremors of a magnitude 4.4 earthquake that occurred ten kilometers beneath the soil of Tangshan, a coastal city in Hebei approximately 150km southeast of the capital. Quakes of such magnitude are capable of moderate damage, and emergency respondents from surrounding cities were dispatched to help investigate potential harm caused by the quake. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported thus far.
Though this morning's earthquake was relatively tame, the tremors are reminiscent of a far more deadly seismic occurrence. In the summer of 1976, Tangshan, now a thriving industrial city of more than 7,000,000, was flattened by one of the most destructive and fatal earthquakes of the 20th century, which resulted in more than 240,000 deaths. That infamous earthquake rocked structures across northern China (as depicted in the graphic above), causing at least 50 fatalities in Beijing.
A memorial to those who were lost in the Great Tangshan Earthquake
For the survivors in Tangshan, many of whom migrated to Beijing following the quake, this morning’s tremors are likely a painful reminder of the events that unfolded 43 years ago. And yet, the echoes of the Great Tangshan Earthquake have continued to reverberate through time in a much more literal sense. The aftershocks of a magnitude 8 earthquake would typically wrap up within a few years, but this particular quake’s mid-continent placement might have enabled it to reverberate over a longer period of time, causing new earthquakes in the region as recently as 2012, and possibly even later.advertisement
Whatever the cause of this latest earthquake, many netizens and official Weibo accounts have taken the opportunity to revisit earthquake safety protocols. If you haven't already done so, take a moment to learn how to shut off gas, tap-water, and electricity valves in your homes, and do so immediately in case of an earthquake. If a large-magnitude earthquake does occur, do not attempt to take the elevator, and if you're on an upper story, do not try and leave the building. You should also locate the nearest earthquake shelter to your work and apartment, and map a route ahead of time. If you find yourself outside during an earthquake, make sure to be aware of falling objects.Stay safe out there, Beijingers!
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Images: Wikimedia, Thoughtco
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