UPDATE 7:00pm:
It's official. The AP says, "China's official Xinhua News Agency says a 6.1 magnitude earthquake has struck Sichuan province. There were no reports of casualties. Xinhua said Saturday the earthquake hit 31 miles southeast of Panzhihua city, near the border with Yunnan province On May 12, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan province killed nearly 70,000 people and left 5 million homeless. "
The initial reports of the May 12th earthquake from the AP were 900 dead. I hope the 'no casualties' reports hold true this time. I have to say my heart was racing and I froze to make sure everything was really shaking, then I jumped up and ran to the bathroom for safety. In this 6th floor walk-up apartment made of concrete blocks, I was truly panicked and reminded how utterly devastating it would be to experience another massive natural disaster. Oh, and it took me a few minutes to reconcile these thoughts as I recalled the anniversary of Katrina today and a giant storm aiming for the Gulf Coast in the states.
UPDATE Next Day:
Official (early) Reports Say... An earthquake about six miles deep killed 25 people, injured 192 people, damaged or destroyed more than 100,000 homes and affected at least 440,000 residents, state media said on Sunday.
It added that 656 schools had also been damaged and that heavy rain and difficult terrain were hampering rescue efforts, with mobile telephone communications patchy. State television showed pictures of houses with large cracks in their sides, broken tiles on the road and people receiving medical attention under tents.
I was again in the living room reading on a lazy Sunday afternoon... and the shakes started again today. I called a friend who was running out of his apartment. This is normal and we will all have to adjust, but I must admit that it is a bit unsettling to have felt each and every one of these things. I am slightly envious of my friends who are in a taxi or playing basketball and don't feel a thing.
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