By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-14 07:15

GUANGZHOU: The local weather bureau has used its emergency weather information system to dismiss rumors that the torrential rain falling on Zhanjiang would cause an earthquake.

The rumors started after a number of houses, roads and railways were damaged by the heavy rainfall caused by typhoon Pabuk in Zhanjiang in Guangdong Province.

In response, the provincial weather bureau, with seismology authorities, used the emergency weather information system to send 2.8 million mobile phone text messages to people to tell them that heavy rainfall would not cause an earthquake.

"The most important thing at this time is that the emergency information system has helped local people pay attention to the relief work rather than believing in rumors," said Yang Qiwei, a media official with the Guangdong provincial weather bureau.

Yang said the system, which was launched last year, proved very efficient in informing the public about the latest weather developments.

"We later also sent thousands of text messages to local people, informing them there will be more intermittent showers in days ahead," Yang said .

Meanwhile, experts rejected the notion that rain could cause an earthquake.

"It is ridiculous to say that heavy rainfall could cause an earthquake," Lu Jinshui, deputy director of the Guangdong provincial seismology bureau, said, adding that earthquakes were caused by movements of the earth's tectonic plates.

"Heavy rainfall could only affect the earth's surface, not its internal structure," Lu said.

There was no evidence suggesting that an earthquake would occur in the upcoming days in Zhanjiang, he said.

(China Daily 08/14/2007 page3)