国内英语新闻:China's Sichuan to offer quake early warning services by year-end

CHENGDU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Sichuan, a quake-prone province in southwest China, will provide its residents earthquake early warning services by the end of this year, according to the Sichuan Earthquake Administration.

The early warning services include alerting residents seconds before seismic waves arrive through multiple broadcasting systems, using the theory that radio waves travel faster than seismic waves.

Earthquake research has found that being aware of an earthquake three seconds beforehand can save 14 percent of casualties, 10 seconds can save 39 percent of casualties, and 20 seconds can save 63 percent of casualties.

The services will also offer residents brief information about the quake one to two minutes after a quake strikes, its magnitude two to five minutes later, and an assessment of the disaster within two hours.

China's capacity in earthquake monitoring and disaster relief has improved since 2008, when the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan killed more than 69,000 people and left nearly 18,000 missing, said a report submitted to the country's top legislature last year.

A new generation of earthquake monitoring and warning systems have been installed along more than 20 high-speed railway lines spanning 6,642 km, said the report.