14 DAY TRIAL // As we have already informed you, Google has done a good job in providing Google Earth users with information about the latest disasters that struck Asia. Besides the large amount of data meant to inform users about the status of the Myanmar victims, users can also see satellite imagery of China's 7.9 magnitude earthquake. This can be easily done by downloading a KML file to your own Google Earth.
If you want to increase your knowledge about the earthquake disaster, the best way to do so is to turn to YouTube. There, you will see cell phone recorded videos, uploaded by people who lived through the disaster. According to the Chinese mainstream media, there are approximately 600 million cell phone users in China, which means that you are going to see an impressive number of videos uploaded on YouTube. According to the official YouTube blog, most videos and photos have been uploaded by users from China's Sichuan province.
The 7.9 magnitude disaster is the worst experienced by the Chinese people in over 30 years. The earthquake that struck China in 1976 is said to have been the worst mankind has experienced in the 20th century. Estimates indicated it had a dead toll of approximately 255,000, with several thousands being severely injured. Until now, the 2008 earthquake hasn't reached the high amount of victims of its 1976 counterpart, but the number of reported people is in the range of thousands.
Videos that might be considered shocking by some can now be seen on the largest Internet video service. A number of users have uploaded footage from surveillance cameras that displayed people running in the midst the disaster. Scientific videos showing the movement of the tectonic plates and offering a better insight into the causes of the disaster are also available. People are also trying to offer their support to the victims, by placing a pay tribute and trying to raise money and supplies through a YouTube video.