Shanghai plans to establish its first earthquake rescue team
this year and set up 50 temporary shelters before 2010 for
emergency use, officials of the Shanghai Seismological Bureau
announced yesterday.
They are the city's major measures to defend against natural
disasters during the 11th Five-Year Guidelines (2006-2010),
officials said.
"Shanghai needs to improve its overall civil defense ability as
it quickly becomes an international city," said Xiao Gongjian, an
official in charge of the bureau's emergency and rescue
affairs.
He said the new earthquake rescue team will have a staff of more
than 200 members including doctors, firefighters and police
officers.
"They will be very well equipped," said Xiao, noting team
members are being selected now and will then undergo training.
Once formed, the rescue team will also likely be sent to some of
Shanghai's more than 60 sister cities -- including Montreal in
Canada, and St Petersburg in Russia -- to help in emergency
situations.
Also in the anti-disaster blueprint, the city plans to build 50
temporary shelters. Infrastructure for the first shelter will be
completed by June at the Dalian Road Greenland in Yangpu
District.
It will hold hundreds of people and be used as a model for the
other shelters, officials said.
"Any of the new shelters can provide basic necessities for at
least 24 hours," Xiao said.
Shanghai is on an alluvial plain - mainly made up of mud and
silt -- and outside the country's earthquake belt. Therefore, it is
highly unlikely a quake will strike the city.
But since there is still a possibility, however slim,
researchers said contingency plans are necessary.
"No one predicted the tsunami disaster which was caused by an
earthquake in the Indian Ocean," said Wei Xiao, an official of the
bureau.
According to the bureau, the city experienced three "noticeable
earthquakes" in recent history --1984, 1990 and 1996
respectively.
(Shanghai Daily April 22, 2006)