China issues report on eve of Sichuan quake anniversary (Roundup)

Beijing - China published an official report Monday on last year's devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province, on the eve of the quake's first anniversary, a date that will be marked as Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day. The official Xinhua news agency said the official white paper, released by the State Council, or cabinet, shed light on the disaster-prevention work by the government and the public. Xinhua said the May 12, 2008 magnitude-8.0 quake, with the epicenter in Wenchuan of south-west China's Sichuan Province, left more than 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured. 'China is one of the countries that experiences the most natural disasters,' the report said. 'More than 70 per cent of Chinese cities and more than 50 per cent of the Chinese population are living in areas vulnerable to serious earthquakes, or meteorological, geological or marine disasters.' Climate change, economic growth and urbanization have put increased pressure on China's resources and environment, it said. The job of preventing and reacting to natural disasters has become 'more serious and complicated,' the white paper said. 'The mechanisms to coordinate and integrate aid efforts are not yet sufficient,' it added. The country has developed a disaster control and response system in line with China's realities, it said. Local authorities are asked to develop emergency plans, conduct regular drills, set up safety zones for the public in parks or sports stadiums and improve information on how to react to disasters. 'The earthquake has shown how badly we are prepared for potential dangers. Many people did not know how to react or give first aid,' Wang Qizahang, a high-ranking official of the Sichuan provincial government was quoted as saying by the China Daily. 'We have to learn our lessons and improve people's awareness and their abilities to protect themselves.' In a likely reaction to the wave of public outrage over the large number of schools that collapsed during the Sichuan quake, all schools countrywide are to be made earthquake proof and new building regulations entered into force this month. It is believed that shoddy construction work led to the collapse of many school buildings, leading to the loss of the lives of 5,335 school children, according to official numbers. Parents and activists, however, say the number is much higher. The white paper not only deals with earthquakes but also with other disasters, which every year directly affect around 300 million Chinese.