0089 - New Tangshan Rising From Earthquake Ruins. A decade ago on July 28, ...Back

New Tangshan Rising From Earthquake Ruins. A decade ago on July 28, an exceptionally severe earthquake flattened the whole of a famous north China industrial metropolis, Tangshan, killing more than 210,000 people, 21 percent of city's total population, and seriously injuring another 137,000. But now a young giant is rising again on the earthquake ruins after clearing the debris and healing the wounds, just over 140 km east of Beijing. After the quake, the Chinese government allocated special funds and mobilized experts, designers and builders from 15 provinces and cities throughout the country in an all-out effort to help rebuild Tangshan. During the annihilative quake, 90 percent of the houses and public buildings of Tangshan were destroyed. In their places 91 new residential quarters have been completed and 95 percent of the urban population have moved into new homes. Now the residential areas are separated from industrial zones, and department stores, shops schools, hospitals, banks and other public institutions such as hotels, stadiums and theatres are erected in the residential areas. Tangshan now has a population of more than 1.3 million. Industrial production has also re-started in the devastated city and made substantial progress, with its gross output value reaching 3,780 million yuan a year. Tangshan, a traditional coal base, also flourishes with electricity, metallurgy, building materials, ceramics, machinery, textiles and other industries.