Jiuzhaigou earthquake

At least 25 people were killed and 525 more injured after a powerful earthquake struck a popular tourist area in Sichuan Province on August 8. The 7.0-magnitude quake struck Jiuzhaigou County at 9:19 p.m. at a depth of 20 kilometers. When the quake hit, 35,000 tourists were in Zhangzha township. Thousands have already been evacuated and authorities aimed to relocate all tourists. Rescuers are still working to clear the rubble, and there are people buried beneath the debris.

Car accident

The State Administration of Work Safety and the Ministry of Public Security have dispatched work teams to oversee the investigation* and handling of the aftermath of an expressway accident that killed 36 people and injured 13 others. The accident occurred in Ankang City in Shaanxi Province on August 10 night. A coach carrying 49 people hit the wall at the mouth of the No. 1 Qinling Tunnel on the Xi’an-Hanzhong section of the Beijing-Kunming Expressway. The coach was en route to Luoyang City from Chengdu City.

Mars simulation base

China will establish the country’s first Mars simulation* base in Qinghai Province, the local government said last week. The base will be in the red cliff region in Da Qaidam District in the Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Haixi. Situated at the Qaidam Basin in western Qinghai, Haixi was chosen for its Mars-like landform, landscape and climate. The base, comprising a “Mars community” and a “Mars campsite,” will be turned into China’s first cultural and tourist experience base for space and astronomical education, Mars-themed tourism, scientific research and film shooting.

Overseas card transactions

China’s new rules on overseas bank card transactions will have a limited effect on cardholders as they aim only to gather information to curb money laundering*, not spending. From September 1, banks are required to report all cash withdrawals on a daily basis, as well as domestic card transactions worth more than 1,000 yuan (US$149) at overseas brick-and-mortar* and online stores, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. (SD-Agencies)