High cost of earthquake rescue vehicle questioned in Chinese province
The purchase of an expensive earthquake rescue vehicle in central China has created controversy online with some people questioning its cost and practicality, according to a newspaper report.
The Henan Earthquake Administration paid 4.68 million yuan (HK$5.5 million) to acquire the vehicle, The Beijing News reported.
The move has attracted some scepticism online over the need for such an expensive vehicle as Henan province is not prone to frequent earthquakes, according to the article.
The vehicle, imported from Sweden, can support a range of communications systems.
Other equipment includes a self-contained electric generator and living quarters for rescue workers.
Yu Junsheng, the director of the Henan Earthquake Administration, was quoted as saying that the department has only purchased one vehicle at the moment.
Some internet users were quoted as saying it was a waste of money because Henan was rarely hit by earthquakes, but Yu said the vehicle would also be sent to nearby regions to help deal with emergencies.
“As Henan is located in the centre of China, it’s convenient for the vehicle to travel to other parts of China.
“The vehicle will serve the function as the command centre in case of earthquakes,” said Yu.
Henan is not the only province or city which has deployed an earthquake rescue vehicle.
The earthquake administration department in Xian in Shaanxi province spent nearly 2 million yuan purchasing the communication equipment for its earthquake vehicle.
