CHENGDU, CHINA — As the search-and-rescue effort across the mountainous quake zone continued for a ninth day, hope of finding more survivors grew increasingly dim. But small miracles abound.
As reported the rescue of a 60-year-old woman it identified as Wang Liqun, a retiree who had survived on rainwater.
State media reported that a 31-year-old worker had been rescued at a damaged hydroelectric power plant. Ma Yuanjiang survived for 178 hours by drinking his own urine through an empty water bottle and eating four pieces of paper he found in the dark.
The streets were eerily empty as many shops closed in response to a government call to cease all entertaining activities during three days of mourning.
In the capital of Sichuan province, the mood was somber as residents faced the threat of more aftershocks and sought to pay respects to the dead.
Authorities also warned that more tremors were expected to hit the region, further hampering rescue efforts and rattling nerves.
After a night of sleeping on the streets and in cars, residents came to Chengdu’s massive Tianfu Square in the shadow of Mao Tse-tung’s statue to honor the dead. People in Xian and neighboring cities were sleeping outside since more tremors are coming in days.
As the focus shifts from search and rescue to caring for the injured and homeless, government faces the monumental task of housing more than 5 million displaced people and more than 240,000 injured.
Beijing has welcomed international medical workers in the epic humanitarian relief effort.
President Bush visited the Chinese Embassy in Washington on Tuesday to extend his condolences and an offer to help the Chinese people.
In the quake area, we took a step toward restored normality after the worst natural disaster to strike their nation in three decades: Schools resumed for some young survivors in tents and other temporary shelters. The first lesson for many was how to cope psychologically with the trauma of losing family and friends.
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