Hundreds Dead in China Earthquake

Chinese state-run media Xinhua initial report states that more then 300 people have been killed in a strong earthquake that struck the area around the Tibet region early Wednesday. The Chinese earthquake death toll is over 300 people.  Over 7,000 people were injured and harmed 6.9 magnitude quake struck the northwestern province of Qinghai.  The U.S. Geological Survey states that the Chinese earthquake disaster was centered 240 kilometers north of Qamdo prefecture, which borders China’s Sichuan province.

Officials in the region say dozens of businesses and schools in the Tibetan Yushu county have falllen in the natural disaster, and many students are trapped in the rubble.

Chinese Military has been sent to the area. Local officials tell Chinese Central Television the Chinese troops lack the proper equipment to respond to the disaster. A massive 7.9 quake hit Sichuan province in 2008, killing nearly 90,000 people.

Relief efforts have begun for many organizations operating in the area.

A swarm of strong earthquakes hit China’s Qinghai province near Tibet early Wednesday morning, the strongest being a 7.1 that toppled an estimated 85% of homes in the impoverished rural area.

The China earthquake is the latest major quake of 2010, following the January magnitude 7.0 earthquake that demolished the country of Haiti, the 8.8 magnitude quake that hit Chile, and the relatively mild early morning 4.4 earthquake that startled people awake in Los Angeles and caused an estimated $100 million in damage.

The recent earthquakes have many people feeling earthquake anxiety and wondering if they are foretelling “The Big One” in the United States, which geologists say is inevitable.

But the U.S. Geological Survey insists the number of major quakes occurring has not increased in frequency, yet people continue to be unusually concerned.  There is a widespread perception that something unusual is going on – a pervasive level of anxiety regarding ground.

If you are feeling earthquake anxiety, now would be a great time to either buy or make your own earthquake preparedness kit.

Realize the recent earthquakes are nothing out of the ordinary.  Since the disaster in Haiti, earthquakes have been on everyone’s minds.

Are you convinced recent earthquakes around the world foretell an earthquake of epic proportions in the U.S.?   Do you have an earthquake preparedness kit at the ready?