Quake force or man's folly

There is little doubt that the devastating May 12 earthquake, 8 on the Richter scale, was far stronger than what most of the buildings were built to endure, and that's why they collapsed. Though unfortunate, there is only so much man can do to lessen the damage brought about by nature.

It is difficult to challenge some arguments that not all the collapsed or damaged buildings were defective. The power of the quake and the different soil conditions under different buildings might have caused some to collapse and others to keep standing.

But these facts should not make it any easier for investigators from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Education to carry out their duties.