Combing through debris: Chinese soldiers help clean up the rubble caused by the devastating earthquake in Jiegu, Yushu county, in China’s northwestern province of Qinghai (April 19, 2010).
Source: Liu Jin/AFP/Getty Images
On the morning of April 14, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Western Chinese province of Qinghai near Tibet, killing more than 2,000 and injuring over 12,000.
Buildings collapsed or were damaged, leaving many trapped. Mud and wood homes, schools, temples and large buildings crumbled. Downed power lines, strong winds, freezing temperatures, landslides and collapsed bridges leading to the nearest airport hindered rescuers, who were forced to dig through the rubble by hand until aid arrived.
The Asian nation has been an area of seismic activity. On May 12, 2008 in the Sichuan province in southwestern China, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 87,000 people. In August 2009, a 6.2-magnitude quake in the same province triggered landslides and collapsed homes.
Then there were the Haiti and Chile quakes and the Iceland volcano, with nearly every other day bringing another disaster-related headline.
Why Is This Happening?
Although earthquakes and volcanoes have claimed millions of lives in the past 500 years, the danger is now greater than ever since the population has dramatically increased during the last two centuries, and some of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions have become the most densely populated.
Currently, a worldwide network of seismographs detects about one million small earthquakes annually. In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey predicts about 18 major earthquakes (7.0-7.9-magnitude) and one great earthquake (8.0 or higher) every year.
But soon more powerful earthquakes will shake the earth, awakening giant volcanoes that will affect the security and stability of the whole world! These powerful events will not just alter the face of single mountains, but that of the whole earth!
The Bible foretells that this single greatest period of earthquake and volcanic activity in history lies just ahead. God will use earthquakes, volcanoes and even tsunamis to reveal His presence, His deliverance, His wrath and His power. He will also use them to announce Christ’s Return, to accompany prophetic events, and to reshape the earth’s surface.
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