China earthquake
Monday, May 12th, 2008A huge earthquake of 7.5 - 7.8 on the Richter scale centered north of Chengdu in Sichuan Province had Beijing shaking as well, and reportedly buildings in Bangkok, Thailand were swaying too. I know that our 13th floor office apartment was swaying quite a bit for a minute or so; one of the most bizarre feelings I have ever felt. I’m prone to motion sickness anyway, so an hour and a half later I’m still feeling it. Office buildings were evacuated here in Beijing, and now they are saying that there was a smaller earthquake located just east of Beijing in Tongzhou at 3.9 on the Richter scale that may have been responsible for us shaking in Beijing. Whatever the source, it seems that the ground underneath us is moving, and I wonder if it is the result of the incredible number of huge buildings and construction happening in China that is putting pressure on the Earth’s surface, or perhaps the Three Gorges Dam in central China and the enormous weight of the dammed up water that is to blame. China has in the past had numerous earthquakes, so it may just be time for things to shift again. Regardless, it sure has people here in Beijing literally shaken up today.