away.One-thirdofthenationfeltit.Ahugecrackthatwaseightkilometreslongandthirtymetreswidecutacrosshouses,roadsandcanals.Steamburstfromholesintheground.Hardhillsofrockbecameriversofdirt.Infifteenterriblesecondsalargelayinruins.Thesufferingofthepeoplewasextreme.Tow-thirdsofthemdiedorwereinjuredduringtheearthquake.Thoundsoffamilieswerekilledandmanychidrenwereleftwithoutparents.Thenumberofpeoplewhowerekilledorinjuredreachedmorethan400,000.Buthowcouldthesurvivorsbelieveitwasnatural?Everywheretheylookednearlyeverythingwasdestroyed.Allofthecity’shospitals,75%ofitsfactoriesandbuildingsand90%ofitshomesweregone.Brickscoveredthegroundlikeredautumnleaves.Nowind,however,couldbelowtheyaway.Twodamsandmostofthebridgesalsofellorwerenotsafefortravelling.Therailwaytrackswerenowuselesspiecesofsteel.Tensofthousandsofcowswouldnevergivemilkagain.Halfamillionpigsandmillionsofchickensweredead.Sandnowfilledthewellsinsteadofwater.Peoplewereshocked.Thenlaterthatafternoon,anotherbigquakewhichwasalmostasstrongasthefirstoneshookTangshan.Someoftherescueworkersanddoctorsweretrappedundertheruins.Morebuildingsfelldown.Water,food,andeletricitywerehardtoget.Peoplebegantowongderhowlongthedisaterwouldlast.Allhopewasnotlost.Soonafterthequakes,thearmysent150,000soliderstoTangshantohelptherescueworkers.Hundredsofthousandsofpeoplewerehelped.Thearmyorganizedteamstodigoutthoseweretrappedandtoburythedead.Tothenorthofthecity,mostofthe10,000minerswererescuedfromthecoalminesthere.Workersbuiltsheltersforsurvivorswhosehomeshadbeendestroyed.Freshwaterwastakentothecitybytrain,truckandplane.Slowly,thecitybegantobreatheagain.ASAFEHOMEItissadbutthatpeopledieinearthquakesfromfallingfurnitureandbricks.Earthquakesafetyisveryimportantandthereismoretoitthanjustkeepingbuildingsfromfallingdown.Soifyourhomeisinanearthquakearea,youshouldpreparecarefullybeforetheearthquakecomes.First,makesureyoubuyahousewhichisearthquakesafe.Allpipesshouldbefixedtothewallandallwallsshouldbeespeciallythickandstrong.Youalsohavetomakesurethatthereare