. Earth Science News .
SHAKE AND BLOW
Tourism a major casualty of China quake
By Becky Davis
Jiuzhaigou, China (AFP) Aug 10, 2017


China earthquake death toll rises to 24
Beijing (AFP) Aug 11, 2017 - The death toll from an earthquake that scarred a scenic region of southwest China's Sichuan province rose to 24 on Friday, state media said, as authorities found more bodies.

A total of 493 were injured in Tuesday's 6.5-magnitude quake, including 45 in serious condition, Xinhua news agency said, citing rescue authorities.

The Aba prefecture emergency response office earlier said in a statement that more bodies were found inside a bus in a river valley in Zhangzha. It did not give more details about what had happened to the vehicle.

State media said that around 85,000 people have been evacuated from towns and villages hit by the quake, which struck Jiuzhaigou, a popular tourist destination with a national park, forested mountains and over 140 lakes that has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The tremor evoked memories of a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake in the region in 2008 that left 87,000 people dead or missing.

Tourism may prove one of the bigger casualties from a strong earthquake that struck a region of southwestern China whose natural beauty and Tibetan heritage draw millions of visitors each year.

Twenty people were killed by Tuesday's 6.5-magnitude quake in Sichuan province, a comparatively low toll -- thanks to the area's remoteness -- for a country prone to some of the world's deadliest quakes.

But the disaster deals an economic blow to Jiuzhaigou, a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned in China and whose mostly ethnic Tibetan and Qiang people depend heavily on income from visitors.

"There probably won't be any more tourists the rest of the year. It may take two or three years for things to get back to normal," Yang Siding, a Tibetan in his 30s, told AFP.

"We pretty much depend entirely on tourism to make a living. We have nothing else," Yang, who runs a guesthouse, said while checking on his apartment following an aftershock.

Jiuzhaigou is prized as one of heavily polluted China's few remaining areas of pristine beauty. More than 140 lakes, ranging from crystal-clear to turquoise, lie at the feet of forested mountains.

Despite its remoteness, the local government said the park hit its maximum daily capacity of 41,000 visitors just days before the quake, after luring 1.56 million tourists in 2017's first half.

More than 30,000 tourists were in the park when the quake struck, heavily damaging at least one hotel. At least six visitors and two Jiuzhaigou residents were among the quake dead.

Most damage from the quake appeared caused by landslides, and harrowing reports emerged describing people being killed or injured by boulders smashing into buildings and cars.

More than 30,000 tourists were evacuated by late Wednesday.

National tourism authorities have issued their highest safety warning for Jiuzhaigou, telling tourists to stay away and travel agencies to cease organising trips amid recurring aftershocks and landslides.

- Ghost towns -

Normally bustling Jiuzhaigou hamlets like Zhangzha now resemble ghost towns, according to AFP journalists who visited Thursday. Although quake damage appeared minimal, hotels and shops were boarded up or deserted along rubbish-strewn streets.

Tourism had proved a local godsend as China's growing middle class increasingly catches the travel bug. Residents say many who grew up as poor farmers now have cars and some can even afford second homes in big cities.

"After tourism came here (around 2000) our quality of life improved so much," said Yang.

"Now I suppose we'll have to go out elsewhere and find jobs."

The tremor stirred memories of a devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake in similarly mountainous areas of the same region in 2008 that left 87,000 people dead or missing.

The 2008 quake cost Sichuan -- home to several of China's famed panda sanctuaries and renowned Tibetan monasteries -- "tens of billions of yuan" (several billion dollars) in tourism revenue, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

"Now it's in the government's hands. They'll have to assess whether the buildings are safe before letting tourists back here," said hotel cook Zhou Quan, a member of China's dominant Han ethnic group.

Even after that, Jiuzhaigou will be scarred.

Quake-triggered landslides ripped swathes of green forest from mountainsides, leaving huge gashes, in some places tumbling into the glassy waters and turning them brown, aerial footage by Chinese media showed.

One of the park's best-loved spots -- Sparkling Lake -- suffered "severe" damage, park authorities said, after one of its banks collapsed, draining a section of the lake nearly dry.

The outlook is worsened by government policies, said Songpa Tsanduze, a Tibetan woman in her 40s who runs a Zhangzha shop.

Wearing golden hoop ear-rings and elaborate hair braids, she said authorities had used traditional Tibetan land for a reforestation project.

"There are trees on our land so we can't farm it. We have no choice but to go into business. But now, after this earthquake, I don't know how we'll be able to feed ourselves," she said.

SHAKE AND BLOW
Nearly 60,000 evacuated after China quake kills 19
Chengdu, China (AFP) Aug 9, 2017
China on Wednesday evacuated nearly 60,000 people in its mountainous southwest after a strong earthquake killed at least 19, rattling a region where memories of a 2008 seismic disaster remain fresh. The 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan province late on Tuesday, tearing cracks in mountain highways, triggering landslides, damaging buildings and sending panicked residents and tourists fl ... read more

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

SHAKE AND BLOW
Canada military sets up tents at US border for Haitian refugees

Brazil troops storm Rio slums to catch gang leaders

Tech advances will lead to MH370 discovery - Malaysia Airlines

Italy parliament approves Libya naval mission

SHAKE AND BLOW
Algorithms that can sketch, recreate 3-D shapes

Ferroelectric phenomenon proven viable for oxide electrodes, disproving predictions

Nanoparticles for 3-D printing in water open door to advanced biomedical materials

Software lets designers exploit the extremely high resolution of 3-D printers

SHAKE AND BLOW
Guam told to 'enjoy paradise', ignore North Korean threat

No longer water under the bridge, statistics yields new data on sea levels

Teamwork key to ocean travel for jellies

Invasion of glowing tropical jellyfish baffles U.S. scientists

SHAKE AND BLOW
Not all glaciers in Antarctica have been affected by climate change

Alaska's North Slope snow-free season is lengthening

Extreme melt season leads to decade-long ecosystem changes in Antarctic polar desert

Researchers crack the 'Karakoram anomaly'

SHAKE AND BLOW
Dramatic changes needed in farming practices to keep pace with climate change

Cracking the code of megapests

Low to no risk from pesticide-tainted eggs: experts

Dutch egg probe widens to chicken meat tests

SHAKE AND BLOW
Mexico braces for more Tropical Storm Franklin

Tens of thousands evacuated after China quake kills 19

Up to 100 feared dead, thousands injured in China quake: govt

Atlantic hurricane season could be 'extremely active': As Franklin strengthens

SHAKE AND BLOW
Calls for peace on eve of tense Kenya election

Zimbabwe confirms clash between soldiers and police

Rwanda's Kagame in landslide poll win with around 98% of votes

European support for Sahel 'mutually reinforcing': Germany

SHAKE AND BLOW
New look at archaic DNA rewrites human evolution story

Paleolithic bones reveal evidence of ritualistic cannibalism

Origin of human genus may have occurred by chance

Cultural flexibility was key to surviving extreme dry periods in Africa









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.