A crap attempt at an earthquake hit Beijing last night, leaving social media mildly excited for a couple of hours.

The tremor, estimated at Force “Blah” on the “Meh” scale, caused the ground to quiver a bit. People in the affected area were said to be “vaguely perturbed.” Many took to WeChat to ask whether anyone else had felt anything, and describe what they had felt, and where they were at the time, and to share misinformation. No casualties or damage of any kind has been reported, though someone probably dropped something, due to be being startled.

In one particularly shocking episode, a Beijing journalist was accused by his wife of having one glass of wine too many over dinner, when he asked whether anyone else felt the floor shaking. The reporter is said to be “completely vindicated”, and revealed to be “planning on milking it for all it’s worth.”

According to Wikipedia, earthquakes are so called because the “earth” “quakes”.

Photo:Yamaguchi先生 , Wikimedia Commons

The study of earthquakes is called seismology, and if you’ll forgive the pun, it rocks! While we may not feel it, the ground where we stand is constantly moving, albeit very slowly. When such movements cause breaks in the earth (“faults”), they can produce damaging earthquakes and also alter landscapes. Seismologist Marie-Luce Chevalier from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences gives another insight into earthquakes: that they can shake our understanding of nature and move people to become more resilient and prepared. She explained more about earthquakes to Grade 4 students of Beijing Huijia Private School.

Chris (李思坦): What was the biggest earthquake in world history? And how strong was it?
The largest earthquake in the world was in Chile in 1960, it was magnitude 9.5!

Stella (李昕宇): Where is the safest place to be in an earthquake?
If indoors, you should find shelter under a door frame or sturdy table. If outdoor, make sure to stay far from electric cables, houses (risk of roof tiles falling) or trees.

James (何沅东): Who can predict earthquakes? Animals, scientists or others?
Nobody can predict earthquakes, unfortunately. What we can do however is to be prepared for it. By that, I mean, build safer structures and know how to respond. Scientists, on the other hand, can predict where large earthquakes are likely to occur based on the movement of tectonic plates and the location of fault zones. They can also guess when it may happen by studying past earthquakes and detecting where and how much pressure is building along fault lines. Interestingly, but not scientifically proven, animals have been shown to predict earthquakes, by for example being able to detect the release of gas and charged particles that may occur prior to an earthquake, and then escaping their usual habitat.

Chris (辛亿): Are there ways to warn people an earthquake is about to happen?
GPS stations are present in most seismic zones, and more in populated areas than remote areas of course. These stations continuously measure Earth’s movement. They record by how many millimeters or centimeters Earth moved, and can also show us that many small events are occurring which could be a sign of a big one coming. Also, sensors near seismically active zones can detect seismic waves and alert nearby cities through early warning systems.

Martina (李悉雯): How long do earthquakes last?
That depends on the magnitude of the earthquake. The largest earthquakes may last up to 1 minute but most earthquakes last between a few seconds and 30 seconds.

Sweetie (孙甜): How does an earthquake cause damage?
Actually, damages are caused by structures like buildings or roads that are not strong enough to resist earthquakes. When an earthquake happens in the wild for example, you will only see cracks on the ground, or fallen trees.

Julia (刘一萱): Foreshocks, main shocks, aftershocks—what are the differences?
Foreshocks are earthquakes generally of smaller magnitude and they happen before the big one called the main shock. Aftershocks are earthquakes of smaller magnitude which happen after the main shock, all in the same area of course. However, sometimes, the aftershock can be almost as big as the main shock: for example, the earthquake that struck Nepal in 2015.

Frank (李雨衡): What does an earthquake feel like?
You feel the ground shaking if the magnitude is strong enough. You will probably also feel dizzy since your feet are standing on something that is moving! If indoors, you can also hear the earthquake. I’ve been in a M5.6 earthquake in California and what struck me was the very loud noise coming from the ceiling, as if many people were moving chairs above your head.

Taylor (罗云): Where do earthquakes usually occur?
Most earthquakes happen along what scientists call “plate boundaries.” The most seismically active zone is located around the Pacific Ocean and is called the Pacific Ring of Fire, where approximately 90 percent of earthquakes occur. Most active volcanoes are also present along the countries and territories across the Pacific Ocean (Japan, Indonesia, and Alaska, among others).

James (石若成): What should we do after a strong earthquake?
Check yourself for injuries and get help if needed, then help others when possible; move to a safer location if necessary. Move out of coastal areas in case of tsunamis, away from bridges, electric wires, and stay out of damaged buildings.

Photos: Uni You

This article originally appeared on p 32-33 of beijingkids August 2017 issue.
Download the digital copy here.

Frenchwoman Celine Suiter was in Nepal during the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the country last Saturday. Suiter, an avid photographer, traveled to Nepal for a 5-day photography tour with a group of 13 other tourists, while  her husband Jeffrey, and children Chloe (age 15), and Jeremy (11) who both attend WAB, remained in Beijing. You can read her blog about her life as a Beijing tai tai here.

Suiter told beijingkids of her experience in Nepal:

The earthquake occurred on the last day of our photography tour. We had been capturing pictures of Kathmandu, scenic views of mountain ranges in Nagarkot, and vibrant street life while visiting World Heritage sites.

On the morning of the quake, I arrived back at our hotel from a walk around Thamel market with a friend. [Thamel is the main tourist district of Kathmandu famous for its markets.]

When the first tremor started I had just finished checking out and was talking to friends at the hotel restaurant. We weren’t quite sure what it was at first (I remember thinking it felt like the metro in our Paris apartment) then it started to shake a lot more. I could see two of my friends walking in a zigzag, blundering into tables as if they were on a moving boat.

Somebody shouted “Earthquake!” and we found shelter under tables. Small objects began crashing around us; we could do nothing except watch and listen to the chaos. The floor moved violently from side to side, like it was happening in slow motion.  The quake lasted a good two minutes. When the rocking floor started to slow down and finally stopped, somebody shouted "Run to open land!" We dashed out of the hotel restaurant and joined the flow of people heading to an open expanse of land 500m from the hotel.

Standing in the common area, there was a collective feeling of terror; people gathered and looked at each other not knowing what to say. Then the aftershock came, people dropped to the ground, the earth moved again; more screams, more cries, power lines swayed, buildings shook. The tremors continued, with decreasing magnitude, but with the same terrifying effect. I received a call from my husband who asked me if I was OK as he had already seen newsflash of the events in Nepal. Everyone tried desperately to contact family and friends to assure them of their safety.

Over the next few hours the focus shifted to how we could get out of Nepal. Our group was extremely luckily to have two dedicated local guides Thukar and Guru, who at this point had already completed their services and had every reason to turn their full attention to their own families’ safety. What they did is beyond explanation. They appeared from nowhere and finding the majority of our group together, they then went off in search of the others, whilst the tremors and uncertainty continued. They managed to locate each member and bring us back together. Comforting each other was high on the agenda, as emotions flowed. News came through that the airport was not operating, and communication was limited and inconsistent. Nobody wanted to remain in Thamel; we wanted to move to open space. A decision was made to try and organize getting the group to the airport. The guides arranged transport with unbelievable efficiency in a time of disaster. We made it to the airport car park, the guides continued to support us with information, food, and water. Never at any point did they leave us even though they had family issues way beyond any of our needs.

Night was closing in, the weather started to cool, and morale was starting to fade. Without complaint we prepared to sleep on the car park floor, but the guides would not accept this. The country was in a state of shock, nothing was working, confusion continued, but again Thukar and Guru never left our sides and with astonishing effort arranged a coach with support from Etihad airline, to be our accommodation. Water and snacks were plentiful and we had extreme comfort considering the seriousness of the situation.

Although I was supposed to be the last one of the group to take off that day I ended up being the first one out of Nepal. I was the only one traveling to China, my fellow photographer friends all came from Dubai and Abu Dhabi (and one from Qatar). My flight was one of the only three flights that landed and took off from the Kathmandu airport that night. After resting for an hour or so in the bus, our guides told me that my flight was scheduled to arrive and that I would most likely be leaving so I needed to get to the terminal. They were only allowing in passengers. I was in an almost empty airport that the military had taken over, (airport personal had been sent home), surrounded by Chinese people (the only inbound flights were China Eastern, China Southern, and Airarabia). 

Another tremor struck and the waiting passengers ran out of the airport onto the tarmac. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to stay there or go back to the “safety” of the bus, surrounded by my friends. I talked to a Canadian-Chinese man, who helped me to calm down. Then a little Chinese girl started a conversation, practicing her English. By 1am I was onboard the plane ready to take off for Guangzhou.  Relieved to arrive safely in Guangzhou, I headed to my next flight to Beijing and landed in Beijing airport at 12:40pm. 

Other friends left Sunday evening and Sunday night. Between my departure and theirs there was another 6.7-magnitude earthquake. Back safely in Beijing with my family, I started to read the news and it really hit me.  I had left in the midst of the crisis; I didn’t have to think too much about it while I was there. It was a lot scarier from the outside. We had been in a little part of town and no buildings collapsed within our sight. We saw a few walls down and a few houses tilting dangerously, but it was difficult for me seeing the photos of the devastation of all the places and the people we photographed mere days or hours before from the safety of my apartment in Beijing. I really want to remember the beauty of Nepal, the kindness of the Nepali people. I visited and photographed places that are lost forever now. It’s a beautiful country that needs to be visited and most importantly needs urgent help right now.

I was happy I got out on time but felt horrible leaving my friends behind. I couldn’t reach them and I felt helpless. I tried to monitor their flights but the information was inconsistent. I eventually heard they had all left. My friends from Dubai took the last airplane leaving Kathmandu. It was a great group of photographers, we shared a common passion, we got along well, and we laughed a lot. We had a great time together and it seemed we already had a bond. And going through an earthquake together does tighten that bond!

There is nothing our group could ever do to repay the guides for keeping our group safe and getting us through this situation back to our loved ones. They stayed until the very last one of our group was on a plane.   We hugged and left them, we left a devastating situation; the guides would need to stay and try to rebuild their lives. Guru called us to make sure we were all home safely. We told him that we were working on fundraising to help out. He said that he and his family was OK, but that a village near them was completely destroyed and they needed much more help.  His dedication in helping others is amazing.  His wife is due to give birth in less than two weeks. As a mother I cannot even imagine giving birth in this chaos. Meanwhile last I heard, Thukar’s family in Kathmandu was ok but his village in Gorkha, the epicenter, was totally destroyed and aid has had a hard time reaching the region.

It’s the high of the season for Nepal. Tourists will not return for a long time, the people have lost not only their homes, their belongings, most likely friends and family members, but also their future incomes.

We are arranging a number of exhibitions of the photos from our trip and intend to sell prints with all funds heading back to the people of Nepal. Currently the exhibition is planned for Dubai and Abu Dhabi; I am open to suggestions from the Beijing community about holding the exhibition here.

Contact Celine Suiter:
celine.suiter@gmail.com
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Photos: Courtesy of Celine Suiter

Nearly 2,500 have died in the Nepal earthquake that happened on Saturday according to CNTV‘s English site. It has been 80 years since the country faced an earthquake on the 7.9 magnitude scale, which has seen most buildings collapse and residents frightened to go back home due to fears of after shocks and structurally unstable buildings. In the capital Kathmandu, people are living and sleeping in open areas such as parks, the pavements, and fields despite the cold temperatures.

Roundabout‘s Mary Kate Brown is currently in touch with Nepalese officials at the embassy in Beijing to find out how donations such as blankets, winter clothes, and others can be taken to the people affected.  To help, Roundabout is now accepting donations and the current drop off point at the Roundabout offices. (click on link to get address and contact information). At this time,the organization is still trying to find out more and will communicate that information once they receive it. 

Nepal is a popular tourist destination and has been a favorite for many families with the rich history and the beautiful landscapes. Updates to follow shortly.

Photo: Women of China

Dulwich College Beijing will host piano star Helen Lin, voted one of the top eight musicians in the world by the Web Concert Hall International Competition in 2003, on May 12 at 7pm at the Legend Garden Campus. Tickets are on sale at the Legend Garden Campus reception – seats are limited. Visit http://helenlinpiano.weebly.com for more details about Helen Lin.

Due to the chaos of the auto show, the springtime cashmere sweater sale at Clicia’s Designs and Shayne’s Treasures was postponed from last week to this week. Be sure to stop by to see what the infamous “cashmere guy” has in season for you, items ranging from RMB 300-600, Thursday, May 3 from 1-4:30pm.

Also at this sale location will be Tai Tai’s Desert Diamonds, now set in silver – just in time for Mother’s Day (don’t forget, it’s May 13!). Enjoy 20% off of the website’s listed prices (www.desertdiamondsco.com).

It’s impossible to ignore the rattling we all experienced of Saturday morning at 6:15 a.m. – we were awakened with a loud boom followed by no more than five seconds of tremors. An earthquake? Explosion? Sonic boom? No pictures on the walls were tilted, and nothing on tabletops fell over and broke. People from the Pinnacle Plaza area, to Beijing Riviera, even to Wangjing heard or felt it, but nobody seemed to know for sure what it was. Some online reports indicate that it was, indeed, a low level earthquake (I’d prefer to believe that, actually). Others worried about nuclear testing or other devastating possibilities, but without anything being “officially” reported, there was plenty of speculation and no real answers.

Let me end this update by saying YEA!!! Today’s the last day of the auto show!! Tomorrow’s driving should be a relative breeze (unless there is tear-down construction to remind us of the inconvenience). It was a short amount of time, actually, and you city dwellers are probably thinking we just whine out here in Shunyi with our little bit of extra traffic. However, the absence of traffic issues was likely one big draw of living out in the suburbs in the first place, and the lack of civil engineering prepared to deal with such traffic and parking needs of a huge exposition center is just beyond our understanding. I feel sorry for the businesses that suffered from the show – the congestion kept regular customers away, while expo attendees didn’t come to patronize their eateries and stores. Anyway, school activities are back to normal soon and we can all rest easy for the next two years before it descends upon us again. Yea!

Photo by mararie of flickr.
 

One of the main goals was to raise awareness, letting people in our community understand the devastation left behind and how much help was still needed.  Another goal was to raise money assisting the victims and their families. 

In addition to donations collected at the school, “Pray for Japan” held bake sales, jewelry sales, made paper cranes and more to raise funds.  The school PTA donated hand-made quilts that were available for a silent auction during the annual Spring Fair.  As of the end of that event, over RMB 35,500 has been raised and will be turned over to the Japanese Red Cross through the Japanese Embassy.  For those still interested in donating, click here.

None of the women from “Pray for Japan” has been back to the country since the disaster, although during the summer many hope to return for a visit.  Several wish to call on schools or orphanages to see what more they can do to help.  They have friends who have lost houses and relatives, and there’s the constant worry about those who live nearby the power plant.  Thankfully, however, the extended families of those in the group all survived the disasters.

"Pray for Japan” has been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from the community.  What started as an intense desire to do something or anything, turned into a grander demonstration of overall human kindness.  From their simple wish in the beginning to make 1,000 paper cranes as a symbol of support, there have now been over 4,700 created, proving that every effort can and does make a lasting difference.

The conditions of Japan’s nuclear crisis keeps changing by the hour, and despite assurances that there is no imminent danger of radiation blowing China’s way, Beijingers aren’t taking any chances. The New York Times reports on a mad-grab for iodized salt over the last couple of days:

"…panicked residents combed pharmacies in a mostly vain search for potassium iodine tablets. The tablets are believed to decrease the risk of developing thyroid cancer from nuclear radiation, but few Chinese pharmacies carry them, although health officials said the government has a stockpile for emergency distribution. A clerk at one downtown Beijing pharmacy said more than 20 people had asked for the tablets in the past two days."

Never mind that iodized salt offers essentially no protection against harmful radiation, even if you were to "eat two kilos" (which, as the article adroitly points out, would probably kill you). In any case, this recent round of public hysterias (spurred on by those annoying SMSes) is reminiscent of the vinegar craze during the SARS crisis, when masked workers could be spotted dousing the sour-smelling stuff all around public spaces across the city.

In the meantime, Dr Richard offers a more sensible series of posts on the unfolding crisis and what does, and does not, apply when it comes to the effects of and measures against radiation.

Olivia Lee (a.k.a. The Nutritioneer) and Dr Richard have both shared an illustrated map from Der Speigel showing a "time lapse time-lapse of the Japanese radiation exposure headed mostly east, over the Pacific, and not westerly towards China."

The People’s Daily has also run a report claiming that "no abnormalities have been found in China radiation monitoring."

For now, at least , it seems Beijingers can exhale and stop clutching their iodine bottles.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal writes about renewed international scrutiny on China’s own nuclear plans as a result of this week’s crisis:

"China [which has many fault lines of its own]is in the midst of a nuclear-power building binge, with 25 plants under construction in addition to the 13 now in operation. The plan is to expand China’s current installed production capacity by nearly seven times—to 86 gigawatts in 2020 from 10.8 gigawatts now—and increase nuclear power to 5% of China’s energy output, from around 1%. Nuclear power is a core element of Beijing’s commitment to reduce emissions from burning coal and other fossil fuels, much of which China has to import. Its expansion is part of five-year plan for 2011 through 2015 formally adopted by China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress, on Monday."

China, nevertheless, has announced that it will strengthen nuclear radiation monitoring, according to this Dow Jones Newswire report.

Last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has hit close to home in many, many ways. Here are some more ways to help from Beijing:

Online donations can be made via Chinapay to the Red Cross Society of China by visiting the English language page and filling out the form.

You can also wire money from the post office located in Beixinqiao in Dongcheng District (东城区北新桥三条八号) using the customer account number (客户号) 111119995.

RMB Donations can also be transferred at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s (中国工商银行北京分行东四南支行) Dongsi Nanji branch (remittance account number 0200001009014413252, account name 中国红十字会总会) and the Jiuxianqiao branch (for foreign currency donations; remittance account number 7112111482600000209, account name 中国红十字会总会). Be sure to specify the purpose of the donation on the form. More info (in Chinese) here.

If you can access Facebook, The Red Cross has launched a campaign on “Causes” where you can donate USD 10 to 500 to assist tsunami victims and their families. Farmville addicts can also donate money through the purchase of virtual goods and iTunes users can make USD 5-200 donations to the Red Cross by clicking onto the new donations page.

Elsewhere around town, Club 13 will be holding a Japan Earthquake Benefit Concert featuring Nan Wu and a “host of other bands” this Friday, March 18 starting at 8pm. Tickets are RMB 50 and all the money collected will be donated to relief efforts.

This weekend the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra will be holding  benefit concerts featuring 35 musicians from 15 different countries, directed by Russian conductor Maria Nauen starting at 4pm on Saturday, followed by a second performance on Sunday, March 20th at 5pm at the Canadian International School Of Beijing. The program will include performances of Beethoven’s Overture “Egmont,” and Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite” and Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto by soloists Li Shutao (bassoon), Sun Yiyan (clarinet), Feng Zhuo (violin), Yuanyang (oboe) and Brian Wang (flute). Tickets are RMB 20 (children and students) and RMB 60 (adults) and can be booked online at tickets@bico-china.com or purchased at the door an hour before the performances. Visit www.bico-china.com for more information.

Check out this City Weekend post for further information on additional fundraising channels in town.

Finally, if you know of any other drives and fundraisers, please feel free to add to the comments below.