Zero-Covid or lives? Deadly quake in China prompts disaster protocol for locked down Chengdu
- When lives are at risk, safety is the priority, Chengdu health authorities say, as viral video shows residents blocked from leaving after quake hits
- Covid-19 controls should not be totally abandoned and adequate preventive measures must be taken at every stage, statement adds
Chengdu was among several areas of Sichuan province affected by the strong and shallow quake that has left more than 60 people dead, with at least 15 others still missing.
Neighbouring provinces were also jolted by the 12.52pm quake, which had its epicentre in Luding county in Garze prefecture on the Tibetan border.
As the earthquake hit, people trying to rush out to safety came up against keepers of the policy.
One video clip that went viral on social media showed people – in what appeared to be a residential area in Chengdu – arguing with Covid-19 control staff who stopped them from leaving.
Another featured a snapshot of a conversation between an estate management company and residents on whether to leave the building in case of an earthquake.
While those involved in the discussion later said they were just joking around, and they had not been forbidden to leave, the clip did spark widespread debate on Weibo – China’s answer to Twitter – and caught the attention of emergency control officials.
Late on Monday night, Chengdu’s health commission issued a statement on the public response to emergencies like earthquakes while Covid-19 controls were in force.
“During epidemic prevention [measures], in the event of earthquakes, fires, floods and other disasters that cause harm to life, priority should be given to ensuring the safety of citizens,” it said.
However, Covid-19 controls should not be totally abandoned, the commission said.
“If conditions permit, individuals should protect themselves [against Covid-19] and evacuate safely. When evacuating, gathering and physical contact should be minimised. When the disaster is over in high-risk areas, risk assessment of the pandemic should be conducted in a timely manner, with follow-up work done well,” the statement read.
02:06
China’s Sichuan province hit by 6.8 magnitude quake
The earthquake dealt a fresh blow to mountainous Sichuan province, which had been battling prolonged drought and power shortages before the latest Covid-19 outbreak sparked the lockdown in Chengdu. It is the second Chinese megacity to impose such orders, following the two-month “static management” carried out in commercial hub Shanghai until early June.
The overall outbreak in Sichuan has eased, with 68 new symptomatic and 70 asymptomatic cases reported, most of them in Chengdu.
Xian’s Covid-19 chaos exposes dark side of China’s top-down governance
But the disaster has put the spotlight on whether rigid pandemic regulations might delay evacuation in the event of an emergency.
Shanghai had tried in April to enforce “hard isolation”, fencing off residential blocks with metal sheets or iron barriers, but the campaign stalled following strong protests from residents over safety concerns.
