16 May 08
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Originally posted by Sam The ShamWith momentous economic changes drawing poor rural Chinese to the cities and towns, these people build little shicky-shoo houses with their limited savings in a mere matter of days on unsuitable land on the margins of the urban areas. Same thing caused the high casualty rate here in Central Java in May 2006. Most of the 5,000 dead in that quake (and the astonishing 800,000 temporarily homeless) were migrant ex-farmers (and their families) living in flimsy lean-to's on the outskirts of the relatively prosperous city of Yogyakarta.
Why do earthquakes in China kill so many people? Comparable quakes in America kill about 4 people.
16 May 08
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Originally posted by AThousandYoungYou people are so funny. Thread Title: Earthquake In China, Many Thousands Die - and indeed 50,000 are a feared dead - but all it serves to do is inspire a bunch of Americans on an international web site to start chatting about a tiny number of Americans dying in America 13 years ago. It absolutely fits - to a tee - the way you are perceived all around the world. The trademark lack of empathy due to an excessive degree of self-absorption. Not really trying to cause any offence here. This thread so far has simply made me giggle. Don't get me wrong, I did - and continue to - mourn for the 4 Los Angeles residents who died in 1995.
I remember that one. It didn't seem too bad. I think it collapsed the tunnel they were digging for the subway under Hollywood Blvd. Knocked over an overpass or two maybe. That was about the worst of it I think. I don't remember.
16 May 08
Originally posted by zeeblebotQuite right. On the fringes of Yogyakarta there are no shantytowns. The houses are low quality (but not necessarily always distinguishable from the better construction that had more money spent on it), there are theoretical building codes, but yes - as you say - a complete lack of enforcement, even here in this highly active earthquake zone.
from the look of the damage scenes on yahoo news, lack of sufficiently beefy building codes for earthquake zones, or lack of enforcement. not shantytowns.
16 May 08
Originally posted by FMFi think china has had executions before when buildings that were scrimped on collapsed and killed people, but they'd probably have trouble finding the builders this time. plus, a lot of the buildings are probably pretty old. earthquake standards have evolved a lot since they were built, i bet.
Quite right. On the fringes of Yogyakarta there are no shantytowns. The houses are low quality (but not necessarily always distinguishable from the better construction that had more money spent on it), there are theoretical building codes, but yes - as you say - a complete lack of enforcement, even here in this highly active earthquake zone.