May 12 Earthquake and rock landslide, Beichuan (5.12地震及山体滑坡）

I am a paleontologist of Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology Chinese Academy of Sciences. My colleague, who is a palaeobotanist, a local person, who was employed by us, and I were working on a hillside in northeast Beichuan in May 12. We were splitting rock searching for some Devonian plant fossils at a base of a small cliff when the terrible earthquake happened. At the first time, we felt the earth shake which looks like a train or huge trucks running underneath. We stood up, looking around. Two minutes later, we realized an earthquake happening. We run upwards and succeeded to find a Devonian bioherm, which is 1 meter high and 10 meters away from our working place. The sooner had we lowered our body than huge rocks like tens of thousands wild animals flying over our heads and rolling downwards. We were in huge panic，thinking we would not leave alive.

我是中国科学院南京地质古生物研究所的一名古生物学工作者。512大地震发生时，我的一名同事和我以及我们雇用的一名当地老乡正在北川县东北部的桂溪乡猿王洞山腰上工作­。可怕的地震发生时，我们坐在一处小陡坎下劈岩石寻找泥盆纪植物化石。最初时候，我们感觉到了大地在抖动，就像一列火车或一辆重型卡车从地下经过一样。我们站了起来并四处­张望。2秒钟后，我们意识到发生了地震或者山体滑坡。我们赶紧向上跑到一处大概1米高的泥盆纪的礁灰岩之下躲了起来。我们刚把身体藏好，山上的巨石就从我们头顶上飞过，砸­在我们眼前的水泥公路上并继续向山下滚去，就像成千上万的疯狂的野兽从我们头上飞奔而过。我们当时真的处于极度的恐惧中，以为不能活着离开了。

This video was taken close to the end of the rockslide.
此段视频摄于山体滑坡快结束时候。

At present, I am in Nanjing, living with my family. I tried many times to contact with the local person. But the phone call can not be connected. Last Sunday (May 18) morning, I finally heard the voice of the local person. He told me he found his children alive. However, his brother and other 30 more persons, who were working on the very hill we worked, were hit to death.
目前我在南京，和我的家人生活在一起。我给当地的那位老乡打过很多次电话，但都联系不上。上周日（5月18日）上午，我终于听到了那位老乡的声音。他告诉我他找到了他的2­个孩子，都还活着。但是他的亲弟弟以及另外30多个人，就在我们工作的山上被砸死了。

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• May
• 12
• Earthquake

[alejandroasaguerra]

Fuk dat. Too scary ....

[dl2580]

唉 景区啊.........................

[PoxHaunted]

lucky bastard ;P

[wordreet]

Woah! :¬O You were so lucky!

Very sad for those that lost their lives.

[kylenots]

very scarry. very scarry.