It's been quite an eventful two weeks since the first big earthquake on May 12th. Even now, everyone s asking each other, "so where weere you when it happened?". After going to Chengdu to see my friends Yeshi and Machig off at the airport, as they left for Hong Kong, I ended up staying for a week, doing volunteer work for the Red Cross. Mostly unloading and reloading trucks of supplies for the quake areas, medicines, food, bedding, tents and water mostly. There were loads of volunteers, mostly university students, but there were a few foreigners as well. Most days I went with Florian, a German guy staying at the same hostel as me. Some days there were so many people that we just got in each other's way. On those days I left early, but a couple days there was a shortage of volunteers, and it was hard bloody work. Especially the day we had to unload and reload several trucks of noodles. They were really heavy, and my forearms are stll bruised from hauling them. But it was good to be doing something at least. The first day, there were hundreds of injured people lying on stretchers outside the hospital, waiting to be transferred to other hospitals around China. Lots of kids. Any natural disaster forces one to realign one's priorities, I think. One of the silver linings I guess, along with the ability of people to voluteer time effort and money to help those suffering.
Headed back to Santai on Sunday the 25th, as classes were due to restart on the 26th. So I headed off quite happily on the bus, got back to my flat, got unpacked, and then another earthquake. 6.4 on the Richter scale apparently. Guess whoever is planning this earthquake scheme realised I was back... So out we all went to the playground again, and noone slept inside that night. School was delayed yet again the next day, to start Tuesday instead, assuming no more earthquakes happen.
Just to make life "interesting" (as if it wasn't interesting enough already!) there are now warnings of a flood. There is a dam up near Bechuan, where a normally small lake has been unnaturally enlarged by the quake rerouting a few rivers, and there are doubts the water can be controlled. If that dam bursts, it will flood the river basin down past Mianyang to Santai. Santai lies in an S curve of that particular river. Wonderful. So there have been announcements periodically over the last few days about the status of the dam, and a sample of the warning siren, so we'll know when we hear it to run for the hills! However, it's said we'll have about 6 hours here in which to get to higher ground if the dam bursts. Everyone has been told to stock up on food and water, just in case.
Classes did begin Tuesday, though we've had a few smaller tremors in the past couple days, and had to get all the kids out of the classrooms. I feel sorry for the kids, there's no way they can concentrate on their lessons. And many of them are tired, since noone is sleeping well, always half alert for tremors. Teachers are sleeping in the dorms with the kids, in case they need to be evacuated at night. The novelty of this whole quake thing has really worn off!
Have only three classes to teach tomorrow morning, and then I'm off in the afternoon! What are the chances of another earthquake or flood before noon tomorrow? Guess I shouldn't tempt fate... If all goes well, I plan to leave here at noon, catch a bus to Chengdu and sort out my travel plans from there, train or bus tickets, whatever. Then up to Amdo again! It'll be hard to get to an internet connection as well, so it may be a while before I can update this, but check periodically!
Meanwhile, here are a few pictures of friends and students....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment