Emergency kits become hot following deadly quakes

BEIJING / GUANGZHOU - Since the devastating earthquake struck Japan this past week, online sales of earthquake kits have seen a sharp increase among Chinese consumers.

Hours after the Japanese earthquake, entries began circulating on Sina Weibo, a popular Chinese micro-blogging site, informing the public about possessions that will prove helpful in an earthquake, such as emergency food and water, shelter space and lighting. Tens of thousands of Chinese Internet users have viewed the advisory.

"Even if at school we are not taught the best ways to cope with emergencies, we can all do something to take precautions," read one comment.