Personal accounts: Yunnan quake

Two quake survivors give birth to boys

Two babies have been born in Ludian county, Yunnan province, just days after a magnitude-6.5 earthquake jolted the region on Sunday.

Li Shiqiong, the mother of one baby, rushed outdoors to an open field when she felt the first tremor. The other mother, Chang Chenshu, was buried under rubble for an hour before being rescued by villagers.

Zu Kexuan, Li's husband, said he was hugely relieved when he found his wife was safe. Zu had been actively searching for her while helping rescue quake victims.

The two women were taken to a local hospital on Monday, and both gave birth to boys on Tuesday morning.

They said the scare caused by the quake has been replaced by happiness brought by their newborn babies.

8-year-old saves two cousins and himself

Shen Xingyang, an 8-year-old boy in Ludian county, Yunnan province, managed to save himself and his two younger cousins by standing in the angle formed by a staircase when the magnitude-6.5 earthquake hit the town on Sunday.

The three children were playing games at home. When Shen felt the tremor, he immediately dragged his cousins out of the house and took refuge by the staircase next to two motorbikes.

Wang Yueju, Shen's mother, who was working in the fields, rushed to the childrens' rescue when she realized what was happening.

Wang said she cried with surprise and joy when she saw that the house had collapsed but heard the voice of her son.

The motorbikes helped to block falling rubble, and the staircase corner formed a secure triangle of space, Wang said.

"I learned it from the schoolteachers," Shen said.

Although he was injured, Shen said he was happy that he was able to save his cousins.

Student delivers cake to quake victims

A student who runs an online store selling matang, a cake from his native region of Xinjiang, is taking 1,400 boxes of the product to quake survivors in Ludian county.

Adil Memettur, 23, a senior at Changsha University of Science and Technology in Hunan province, is donating his entire stock of matang and has suspended his online business for three days.

The nutrient-rich cakes contain nuts and candied fruit. The consignment weighs 5,000 kilograms and is worth 500,000 yuan ($81,000).

According to Adil, it could feed 50,000 people for a day.

"Initially, my business partners, who are also college students, wanted to donate money," he said.

"But the cake is more practical because it's nutritious and easily preserved."

Adil left Changsha on Tuesday night and expected to reach Ludian county on Wednesday night.

"As students, our ability to help is limited, but I hope my donation will encourage more people to help people in quake-stricken areas," he added.

(China Daily 08/07/2014 page3)