China revises quake magnitude to 8.0
Pastor Dale Morgan
China revises quake magnitude to 8.0*
From correspondents in Beijing
May 18, 2008 09:50pm
Article from: Agence France-Presse
CHINA has today revised upwards the magnitude of last Monday's
devastating earthquake to 8.0 on the Richter scale.
The May 12 earthquake, which was felt as far away as Bangkok, has killed
an estimated 50,000 people, injured more than 220,000 and damaged more
than 15 million buildings.
The China Seismological Bureau said it had revised the magnitude of the
earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province to 8.0 from 7.8 on the
Richter scale, according to Xinhua news agency.
The US Geological Survey has put the magnitude of the tremor at 7.9, as
has the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The magnitude was revised upwards after specialists carried out detailed
measurements of the earthquake, according to international practices,
the news agency reported, quoting the bureau.
The revision to 8.0 is bound to be noted by the superstitious.
Eight is a lucky number in China, where the Beijing Olympics are set to
open on August 8 - 8/8/8 - at 8:08 pm.
The Internet has been abuzz with commentary on the fact that the
earthquake, China's most devastating in three decades, took place
exactly 88 days before the Olympics' opening ceremony.