Seismic experts predict no quake in Beijing during Olympics

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-7-20  |     ONLINE EDITION

CHINA'S seismic monitoring network has detected no signs of a possible strong earthquake in Beijing during the Olympic Games, said a senior expert of China Earthquake Networks Center in Beijing yesterday.

The monitoring network in the area around Beijing is the most extensive in the country. It can detect an earthquake as light as magnitude-1.0 and report it within five to 10 minutes, said Zhang Xiaodong, deputy director of the China Earthquake Networks Center, at a press conference.

In an area of 150,000 square kilometers between 38.5 and 41 north latitude as well as between 113 and 120 east longitude, there are 107 earthquake monitoring stations, the highest density network in China, Zhang said.

"Our experts are working round the clock to monitor the geophysical changes and analyze the data we collect," he said.

China Earthquake Administration began working with the Beijing city government and the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG) to develop contingency plans in case of earthquakes of different magnitude three years ago, said Yin Chaomin, deputy director of the China Earthquake Administration (CEA), at the same press conference.

Contingency plans are made about earthquake reporting, monitoring on its magnitude and information announcement, he said, "We even built several new monitoring stations near Beijing and another six co-host cities."

Meanwhile officials also rehearsed what to do in face of an earthquake during the Games and these cities also built refuges for the earthquakes, he said.

Beijing has built 31 refuges that are able to hold 3 million people, he said, adding, "According to the contingency plans, we are able to evacuate these people into refuges."

The professional earthquake rescue teams of CEA and Beijing government are standing by, he said, adding, "The Olympic stadiums and many buildings in Beijing are able to stand earthquakes of magnitude-8. There will not be big problems."