May 23, 2008 05:00 PM
China's death toll has passed 60,000
YINGXIU, China - Rescuers rushed to reach 24 coal miners trapped underground by China's earthquake almost two weeks ago, officials said Saturday as the government sharply raised the death toll and warned it could exceed 80,000. It was not known if the miners were alive, but authorities were hoping for the best until they learned otherwise, said Wang Dexue, the deputy chief of the government's work safety department.
Premier Wen Jiabao returned to the quake zone on Saturday and hosted U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a visit to Yingxiu, one of the hardest-hit towns. Jiabao said China's death toll has passed 60,000 and could rise to 80,000 or more...read on.
That is very sad news.
Quite bad! I cannot imagine the loss for them and their loved ones.
To put it in the Chinese perspective...[Not to the individuals suffering. If you'd like to display more callousness, please go somewhere else. Thanks-Sitemonitor]
This is way worse than Katrina. What ever the Chinese did to offend the all merciful it must have been much more abhorrent to him than a gay pride parade.
Their saying that it could pass 80,000.
5 comments in one hour over an unmitigated human catastrophe, so much for us Americans being World Citizens. If we lost 12,500 people in a quake the planet would never hear the end of it. Here in the US it's gotta compete with American Idol.
The difference between their response to this tragedy and our 9/!! 9/!! 9/!! and Katrina is, as Spock would say, fascinating.
Mad props to Premier Wen Jiabao for being a constant presence on the ground and not doing a fly-over, quite a change for Chinese leadership.
~Nyc
This is a terrible disaster for them. Tp put this in perspective, go to
http://www.iris.edu/seismon/ and see what is happening earthquake wise around the globe.
Nyc La Brets @ 6:
Well it's not about someone running for president saying something stupid. We really need to get our priorities straight. Over the last few days here, 'progressives' have been going batshitcrazy insane wishing for horrible things to happened to people with whom they disagree or dislike (M. Savage, K Rove) and demanding that C&L post something about whatever the hell everyone else is posting or the talking heads are discussing. Like they can't get it anywhere else. It's sickening.
I find it disheartening. As a young kid, I remember the collective sadness over the loss of the Kennedys and MLK and other civil rights leaders. We never really got over that.
Then we felt if Nixon were gone, things would get better. The Carter years were dull and unmemorable. Then we couldn't wait for Reagan to go away and he was replaced by Bush. More of the same. Then Clinton. Marching on to GWB.
My whole life it feels like I've been waiting for it to get better, and it doesn't.
the last couple of days I have found myself extremely disappointed in this online community, what they have put in comments.
And what they have not said here. Too busy bitching about some bullshit that really doesn't matter, I guess.
For some of us, there are simply no words worth posting in response to 60,000 deaths. Everything sounds trite and cliche: oh, that's so sad! The poor people! I feel for the survivors! All of that is true, but such words pale in the face of 60,000 deaths (and climbing).
True, some of it is callousness, folks coming here to find politics to snipe about and having nothing to say here (or only bad things to say). But mostly, I think there simply are no words--how do you really respond to that number of lives suddenly extinguished? That's roughly 20 times the loss of life on 9/11, and THAT was beyond words.
For some of us, silence is the best way to show respect.
- -
You have a point, Paul b...
People are not concerned because they think it happened over there, its not our problem. But if they did help it might just help the lone person who is suffering there(forget the government). In this day and age people tend to think if it doesnt impact on me why bother. Dont get discourged about how many comments are shown but rather give credit to yourself at least you brought the subject up. It shows there is still care for the human condition even if it not a lot. Thanks.
Only one more zero and you can almost make out the Olympic Logo.
Trancendental prayer-mediated karmic warfare is a B*tch MotherF*ckers'.
- Monk
Wen Jiabao the Chinese premier is a geologist, and offers a useful perspective to his leadership throughout this tragedy.
Unlike other national disasters, this time the media is being allowed full access to this horror....which has resulted in a huge outpouring of donations and sympathy...a record amount of money has been raised; wealthy individuals are coming forward with significant promises to rebuild schools and buildings and to help the injured.
Paul B. @ 9:
yes
Jo @ 7:
Looking at that map, as far as earthquakes are concerned, I think it is rather nice to live in North America.
I wonder what a map of tornadoes would look like?
I'd like to think the leaders of China are saddened. But I doubt it...less production..
Hey, don't get to happy for North America yet.
2008-05-24 23:23:07 (Mb 4.6) OFF COAST OF OREGON 44.2 -129.3
HAARP is on and who knows what else.
An Average Joe @ 16:
I'd like to think the leaders of Walmart are saddened. But I doubt it...less production..
it's just fitting
I Agree with karma
This is only the 20th comment on this thread. Very sad that this tragedy doesn't seem like a real big deal.
KARMA @ 12:
Karma,
Those 60,000 people do not represent China's government or belong to the communist party (for the most part). They're poor, working class, and/or students.
And Paul B.@9 is right. Words can't express the tragedy...
Joe Tseng @ 22:
There is one word that can express it: totalitarianism
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