Disaster Response, Data Release Faster than Ever

In the face of the strongest quake to hit China in more than three decades, the governmental emergency response, in both disaster relief and dissemination of information, has never been faster, experts said.

QUICK MOVE

On a heated forum on the Sina.com website, when one Internet user tried to criticize the government over a slow response, another quickly replied: "Slow? Within one hour after the quake, the premier was on a flight to the quake-hit area. You call that slow?" The comment by IP 218.104.52.* got the "thumbs up" of support from 2,952 visitors.

"The government's quick and effective response was one of the most notable features that characterized the rescue and relief work this time," said Gao Jiawei, a professor with the China University of Political Science and Law.

The quake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck Wenchuan County in southwest Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. on Monday. The shock was felt, to some degree, across most parts of the country.

A mere 90 minutes later, cell phone users got text messages that read: "President Hu Jintao urges utmost efforts to help quake victims; Premier Wen Jiabao on way to the quake area to direct rescue work."

Meanwhile, the national disaster relief commission and the military immediately initiated emergency response deployment. Two and a half hours after the quake, the disaster relief office of the China Seismological Bureau (CSB) had sent a 30-member rescue team.

Pan Guang, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said he had been closely watching the progress of the relief work since the quake.

"After the quake, the government immediately organized a high-level and targeted national emergency response system," he said.

"The quick move shows that China's emergency response mechanism is growing more flexible and effective, and the country has accumulated much experience," Gao said.

INSTANT INFORMATION

Yu Chuan, a professor with Renmin University, said the government had made timely information releases since the quake, reflecting the maturing of its governing capacity.

Within 20 minutes after the quake struck, the CSB announced the quake's location and magnitude to the public, and about two hours later, the Chongqing Municipality, which neighbors Sichuan, reported the first four deaths. Information on quake casualties and relief work has been rolling out ever since, with the latest death toll exceeding 14,866 under official tallies.

National disaster relief organizations and the local governments of Sichuan, Chongqing, Gansu and other affected provinces have been updating the post-quake situation through various channels, including official websites. People from the world over have no difficulty in accessing any known information concerning the quake.

The timely release of information helped the government win public trust and calm a shocked nation, Yu said. On Monday afternoon, the CSB ruled out the possibility of aftershocks or new quakes in Beijing, Chongqing, Zhejiang and other provinces, dismissing rumors that might have caused public panic.

"An earthquake is a catastrophe that concerns the life and property of millions, and the more information released on it, the better," said Mo Jihong, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"The quake was too massive [for us to cope with it alone]. Through the timely and full release of information, the outside world will know what happened here and give us badly needed help," said He Biao, director of the emergency response office of Aba Prefecture, of which Wenchuan, the epicenter, forms a part.

The quick disclosure also demonstrated that a new regulation on the release of government information was fulfilling its role, Mo said.

The regulation took effect just a couple of weeks ago. The 22-article regulation was designed to "improve transparency and protect the right to know and public scrutiny of official acts," according to Zhang Qiong, deputy director of the Legal Affairs Office of the State Council.

TANGSHAN QUAKE COMPARED

"The vigorous flow of information and the fast response from top officials and rescue workers stood in stark contrast to the way China handled the Tangshan earthquake," The New York Times said on May 13.

In 1976, a quake also measuring 7.8 razed Tangshan, in the northern province of Hebei, killing 242,769 and leaving 164,851 critically injured.

The death toll, however, was kept secret for three years and was not revealed until 1979 by a Xinhua reporter Xu Xuejiang.

"Society is progressing," Xu said. "The government has now established 'openness', 'transparency' and 'people first' as its new principles of governance."

Source: china.org.cn