The local government website of Aba prefecture, at the center of the Sichuan earthquake zone, has continued transmitting news to the outside world throughout the disaster. The website, which only has six staff, and until the earthquake struck received little traffic, was the area’s sole link with the outside world after the disaster struck on Monday afternoon, according to leading web portal Sina.com.cn which managed to make contact yesterday.
Aba Prefecture consists of 13 counties including Wenchuan, Lixian, Maoxian and Jiuzhaigou. At the time of writing, the death toll in the area stood at over 12,000 people, with a further 26,206 injured and 9,404 missing, believed buried under debris.
The website headquarters escaped the worst of the devastation that hit the earthquake’s epicenter, Wenchuan, but its power and communication cables were cut. Nevertheless, technicians were able to switch to back-up cables that circumvent the quake-hit area. A combination of good luck and skill enabled them to continue transmitting messages and news to the world. As the only remaining news outlet, they were able to transmit detailed information about the earthquake and its victims.
The information they provided was invaluable to those directing the efforts of rescue teams brining aid from outside the area. The hit rate on the site soared, and though it regularly broke down due to poor connectivity, the technicians always managed to restore the service. After the disaster occurred, the six people worked 24-hour shift.
They also used a satellite telephone intended for reporting forest fires to contact the outside world; all normal telephone connections were cut. “Whenever we heard any news we immediately put it on the website,” said He Biao, director of the prefecture’s emergency response department. “We kept calling the local forestry departments in the worst-hit counties. I am terribly worried about the people in Wenchuan, but so far we have not been able to get through to them,” Song Hongbin told sina.com.cn, his voice cracking with emotion and fatigue.
Song said the satellite phone signal was also intermittent. “There are still 60 or 70 thousand people in Xuankou and Wolong (two towns in Wenchuan County)completely cut off,” added Song. (Source: China.org.cn/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)