According to Xiamen Seismological Bureau, a Richter magnitude 4.4 Earthquake shook Xiamen at 9:36, July 5, 2008. The epicenter (24°5′N-117°9′E) was between Xiamen and Longhai. Most of Xiamen area felt the temblor.
Did you feel it? I am wondering if Xiamen is vulnerable to a tsunami when a major earthquake strikes.
It has been more than a week since the deadly earthquake struck Sichuan Province. Among the debris, the enormous suffering and the heavy loss of lives, there rises the hope of an emerging civil society.
Strong government and a weak society was a prominent feature in Chinese history. China was an agricultural society, and every household in the rural area, as an individual economic unit, formed the fundation of the society. The connections among these economic units were loose and almost nonexistent. On top of this base, there was a hierarchical bureaucracy directly controlled by the throne. The bureaucratic system, to perform the tasks of taxing, drafting as well as to sustain its own survival, must exert tight and efficient control of the base population. Coupled with the scarce connections among the economic units at the base, a strong government and a weak society became an inevitable phenomenon throughout Chinese history.
Can. Period.
“Earthquake prediction, though challenging, is not impossible, at least for some earthquakes” — American Geological Institute (AGI)
According to Wikipedia, a meaningful earthquake prediction must have all the following elements: Specific area; Specific magnitude or magnitude range; Specific time window; Estimate of probability compared to random chance; A physical basis.
China successfully predicted the magnitude 7.3 Haicheng Earthquake in 1975. It is the first successful prediction of the earthquake in human history.
This prediction is not just an isolated instance.
Here is a screenshot of a page in the Sichuan Government Website. It claims to have restored order and peace after successfully dispelled the rumor of an incoming earthquake.
Magnitude 7.8 - EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA
Earthquake Details
Magnitude 7.8
Date-Time* Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:28:00 UTC
* Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:28:00 PM at epicenter
* Time of Earthquake in other Time ZonesLocation 31.104°N, 103.270°E
Depth 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program… …
Region EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA
* USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID us2008ryan
