Quake fears drive Harbin residents outdoors
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-22 14:18

Rumours of an imminent earthquake have driven people from their homes in a northeast Chinese city where they are sleeping outdoors in temperatures below freezing, residents said on Tuesday.

Bottled water is sold out in almost all supermarkets and shops as Harbin citizens rushed to stock up following the government announcement about a cut in water supply. [China Daily]

Taps in Harbin city are also being turned off on Tuesday for four days due to possible water contamination after a blast in a chemical plant, Xinhua news agency said, which has added to panic buying of food and bottled water.

Rumours of an earthquake in Harbin, the capital of northeast Heilongjiang province with a population of around nine million, started on Sunday, the Beijing News said.

"We've heard there would be a quake stronger than 6.0 on the Richter scale in the province tonight and many rich people have left," resident Zhou Jicai told Reuters by telephone.

A spokesman for the local seismological bureau said the rumours were triggered by a government effort to educate the people on what to do in the event of an earthquake, the Beijing News said.

The spokesman, Liu Dan, said there had been some abnormal seismic activity in the area but that did not mean an earthquake was imminent.

"A few individuals have spent the nights in outdoor tents and have hoarded food. It is totally unnecessary," Liu was quoted as saying. "The likelihood of a big quake is very small."

Xinhua said water supply would be cut off for four days in Harbin due to possible river contamination caused by a recent chemical plant explosion.

"Bottled mineral water, beverages, and even milk were sold out in big supermarkets such as Wal-Mart and Carrefour," the China Daily said.

Earthquakes are common in China. A quake struck Daqing, about 160 km (100 miles) northwest of Harbin, in July, injuring a dozen people.