By Wang Shanshan (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-13 07:56

Time is of the essence if people's lives are to be saved in Sichuan, survivors of the Tangshan earthquake that killed 240,000 people on July 28, 1976, said yesterday.

At 7.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake that hit Sichuan province yesterday was exactly the same size as the one that devastated Tangshan, Hebei province more than three decades ago.

A survivor of that disaster was Jin Bosheng, who lost his wife and two of his daughters to the quake. His third daughter survived but lost a leg.

The 80-year-old said it was "very painful" when his present wife told him yesterday about the Sichuan quake on his return from the vegetable market. She had heard about it from her neighbors.

"People in Tangshan have been through this before, so we have stronger feelings than others," Jin, who retired as a government official 20 years ago, said.

"Medical teams must get to the affected areas as soon as possible. If they are just 20 minutes late, many people will die.

"The survivors will need shelter, as it is the raining season in Sichuan, and food is also badly needed," he said.

People in his community are already talking about how to send money and clothes to people in Sichuan, he said.

Chang Qing, a 76-year-old photographer who also survived the Tangshan quake, said he has been thinking about what he can do to help people in Sichuan.

"My wife and I were watching the television and my heart sank when I heard the news. I told her we had to do something fast, because people there are in urgent need."

The main thing is that the rescuers get to the scene as soon as possible, he said.

"I remember what happened in Tangshan. It is essential that the people who are buried under the rubble are rescued as soon as possible. You won't find many people still alive after a few days."

Medical supplies, food and shelter are urgently needed, he said.

A rapid response is necessary because "it is of greatest importance to prevent the outbreak of epidemics, because there will be not only humans buried in the rubble, but also animals," he said.

"If there is an epidemic, there will be many more deaths than just those killed in the earthquake," he said.

"In Tangshan we had airplanes spreading disinfectant from above and also medical teams spraying it into the debris."

(China Daily 05/13/2008 page3)