"Miracle" Survival Of China Quake

American Tells The Early Show Of Terrifying 3-Day Struggle To Stay Alive

(CBS)  For three days following China's devastating earthquake, Pamela Capito and 11 other Americans were determined to stay alive at all costs.

"We heard a rumble that was the loudest, deepest horrible rumble," Capito told CBS' The Early Show. "Then the earth started shaking so badly that most of us were falling to the ground."

Amazingly, everyone in her group survived the violent quake.

"It was a total miracle," she said.

The Americans were in the middle of a tour sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund when the 7.9-magnitude earthquake rattled China's Sichuan province. The group was trapped for three days in a remote, mountainous area near the panda breeding facility at the Wolong Nature Reserve.

After the quake struck, the group returned to their hotel from the nature reserve only to find that the building was too unstable to enter.

"We couldn't go in the building. So we had to live in the bus with our bottled water. We had 24 bottles of water for 12 people for three days. And so we had to ration our water," Capito said via telephone.

"The toilet situation was horrendous. That was the worst part. There was about 500 people, refugees coming from all these little villages that could get out. They came into this one area. We had an emergency camp set up," she said.

For three days and three nights Capito and her traveling companions waited for help to arrive.

"We had only rice soup. We were rationed one bowl of rice soup two times a day. There was a small little village store that had some dried raisins, dried plums, that we had to ration each morning."

Finally, on Wednesday, rescuers began reaching the area near the epicenter of the quake and representatives of the World Wildlife Fund were able to reach their tour group by satellite phone. When the Americans were finally airlifted out by helicopter, what they saw below shocked them.

"I cried all the way. It was absolute destruction the whole way," Capito said. "The whole canyon we flew out of, every hillside had slid down. There was one town that was completely, totally erased. It was at the bottom of the hill where we got off the main highway to go up to the reserve.

"There was no village there at all," she said.

Now relatively safe in the provincial capital of Chengdu, Capito is looking forward to returning home. Though, the reality of her ordeal is just beginning to sink in.

"I feel like I'm actually watching it in a dream," she said. "I don't feel like I'm going through it yet. It hasn't really hit me that it's as bad as it is."

"Until the helicopters got there today, that's when I finally realized this is a serious thing - I'm finally getting out of here. Then all of us just sobbed; we just cried knowing we're going to see our families again. Because during the time, I really thought I was dead. I really thought I was dead on the spot."

Capito knows how lucky she and the other members of her group are lucky to be returning home to their friends and family, but she's still struggling to comprehend the full scale of the earthquake's death toll, which some Chinese officials fear could reach as high as 50,000.

"I'm just so sad for the 15,000 that have lost their lives," she said.

[al2008-2009]

I%u2019m appalled at the administration%u2019s lack of response to the global warming earthquakes, hurricanes, and cyclones as well. We have no comprehensive strategy in place whatsoever, let alone a detailed plan of action to mitigate the effects of these quakes and cyclones, and mother earth continues to suffer while the administration refuses to go forward and do what%u2019s right for mother earth.
.
How long must we sit idly by while our mother continues to suffer from the warming taking place at a feverish pace? How long must our mother suffer before we have proper c02 taxes put into place? How long must the destruction of mother earth take place before we finally put responsible plans into action? How long must we wait until we beef up our corn ethanol production? At least Obama wants to cut c02 pollution by 80%; he is definitely our best hope.
.
We the people call upon our leaders to implement a comprehensive antiglobal warming strategy at once and work in coordination with state and federal officials; these quakes, cyclones and disasters continue to worsen and the quicker we stop the warming the sooner we will see these quakes and storms cease. We need action now.

[terradaniell]

by the way AL2008 what are global warming earthquakes??? If I didn''t know better I would say you sound like Al Gore.

[sunseeker6]

AL2008- where''s all this Global Warming? I have been freezing my butt off since October! For the most part in NW IL we have been having BELOW normal temperatures since beginning of October and it''s still below normal? Where''s the Global warming because it sure isn''t here! We did have more snow than normal so is that it? Oops- we had even more snow in 1978-79 than we did in 2007-08- guess that''s not a good example.
Now I have a question maybe someone could answer. Wasn''t one of the theories of why the Dinosaurs became extinct because of the Earth warming? Could have swore i heard that on Nova or some science channel before Global Warming was popular. Did the Dinosaurs *** to much like our cows do?

[klingon69]

Don''t forget about manbearpig.

[observer2020]

Mess with Mother Nature and you''ll feel her wrath. AL2008 do you think that immediate measures are going to quickly stop anything from happening? The entire WORLD, not just the US, is at fault. The US will put strict measures into effect while other countries continue to pump out greenhouse gases, mow entire forests down, etc. This is a WORLD issue and the WORLD is not going to get together to begin to fix anything...everyone is way too busy watching out for number one: promoting their religion, selling their oil, selling their take on the war, selling whatever they can for a buck...all the while the natural resources are being consumed at break-neck speed. Global warming earthquakes? Now that''s a good one! At any rate, watch CA for the next month or so for quakes...what happens on one side of the earth will happen on the other soon...balance is nature''s way. But obviously not the human way.

[observer2020]

As for the dinosaurs...try the meteor theory. Global warming and ice age are too slow to have such an effect.

[neenga]

cbscrash07: The ignorance of your posting is unbelievable. Read it a few more times and try to comprehend the difference between a beaver building a dam and humans building cities. In no way are those two alike.

[stevenga777]

Parachuting soldiers in a disaster area to save lives...now thats taking care of your people. Why couldn''t Bush do that in New Orleans? Next time we have a disaster like New Orleans I would prefer to oursource the rescue efforts to the Chinese.

[hypnotoad72]

How does global warming affect earthquakes? And given Al''s actual record as a top executive in Apple, where Greenpeace and numerous other organizations the last 4 years keep showing Apple being far behind other companies in terms of green initiatives, amongst other factors, show he is not credible - even if what he has said has some validity; his actions show more than his words.

[extremophil]

Amazingly, everyone in her group survived.......
"It was a total miracle," she said.

50,000 people may have died in this earthquake, but when 11 Americans survive...it''s a "miracle". I wonder what church they go to?

[nothappyatall]

Then the earth started shaking so badly that most of us were falling to the ground."
Amazingly, everyone in her group survived the violent quake.

"It was a total miracle," she said"

How was in a ''miracle'' if they were outside and fell on the GROUND like you said? outside there''s nothing that is going to happen to you as long as you stay away from buildings and trees that might fall.


"I''m just so sad for the 15,000 that have lost their lives," she said."

Why not CELEBRATE! they all got the fast track to GEZUS''s lap, badabing!

[obamawhama]

Posted by babykilller at 04:46 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse


*************

and its natural that some humans tend to think they know everything......till you are placed in a situation WHERE YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL..

[obamawhama]

Posted by newster1 at 01:53 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse


*****************

jesus H *** king christ..YOU ARE ONE BITTER SOUL..hey at least you know your family does not need to spend a lot on reception after your funeral..if they come at all..

You need a good first hand encounter with something where you are not in control..and it will come and funny thing is..some liberal athiest would say the say thing to you...

[obamawhama]

Parachuting soldiers in a disaster area to save lives...now thats taking care of your people. Why couldn''''t Bush do that in New Orleans? Next time we have a disaster like New Orleans I would prefer to oursource the rescue efforts to the Chinese.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by stevenga777 at 12:45 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse


**********************************

your making it sound like these people are parachuting billions of dollars to be mispent or credit cards that would be misused or would pluck them out and place them on motorhomes or hotels for months on end, or would give them food and welfare for years to come..

YOU ARE RIGHT..the next new orlean disaster (oh yes it will happen again)..we will outsource it to china..and lets see how far china and the rest of the world would deal with them..THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE ARNT THEY?

[nothappyatall]

AL2008- wheres all this Global Warming? I have been freezing my butt off since October!

Now I have a question maybe someone could answer. Wasnt one of the theories of why the Dinosaurs became extinct because of the Earth warming?
Posted by sunseeker6"

Thats a misleading title, it is global CLIMATE CHANGE, which means the upper atmosphere winds and jet stream are shifting lattitudes, which in turn means the jet stream which formerly directed rain to specific areas regularly is now dumping it somewhere else, that can be a significant issue when states depending on that rain for crops doesn''t get it, while the states that don''t need it get flooded. Conversely the states that were warm at certain times are getting chilled by the jet stream bringing cold Canadian air further South while pumping more Gulf humid/warmer air into other states, that''s why you get things like a few 71 degree days in NYC in January and 12 feet of snow in a week in some other locale.

As far as the dinos go, the theory is meteorite strikes such as the one on the Southern Gulf coast; Chicxulub Crater caused by a strike from a meteorite est to be 6 MILES wide, leaving a crater 112 miles in diameter

[nothappyatall]

ANOTHER major crater around the same timer period 65 million years ago was in Manson Iowa that was est to be about 1-1/2 miles across which blasted a huge crater that caused everything in about 150 mile circle to be incinerated, causing massive fires and throwing huge quantities of dust, debris and more into the atmosphere.

[nothappyatall]

jesus H *** king christ..YOU ARE ONE BITTER SOUL
Posted by obamawhama

Whasamatta whama? the right winger in you wants to have your cake and eat it too?
I call it like it IS- you right wingers CLAIM there''s some perfect great PARADISE up in the sky where you live forever disease free, pain free and all the rest, yet you get all worked up when someone here in purgatory (earth is purgatory or hell by comparison to a perfect PARADISE where you life forever) dies and then you go ''oh the POOR fellow died!''

Poor fellow? not 5 minutes earlier "you" or your fellow rightwing side-kicks go one about gezus and this perfect paradise where you are with all your dead relatives young again and perfect, why the hel1 would you want ANYONE to stay behind here in hel1 or purgatory one MINUTE longer???
Ypu should be CELEBRATING the fact they got to die fast and go NOW not wait 40,50 or 60 years in purgatory!

That is... unless as I suspect, you don''t REALLY believe their IS such a place and have your doubts, but with the public face you claim there is.

So which IS IT whamma? a perfect paradise where you are young, perfect and free with your dead relatives forever, or in a dark hole in the ground oblivious to all?

You can''t have it BOTH ways honey!

[nothappyatall]

you need a good first hand encounter with something where you are not in control..and it will come and funny thing is..some liberal athiest would say the say thing to you...

Posted by obamawhama

What makes you think I haven''t?
That''s by the way what having full coverage replacement INSURANCE is for!

As it happens I live in a place that is NOT prone to quakes, floods or natural disasters, only idiots, morons and fools build and live next to volcanos, on or near earthquake faults, on the coast, by the beach front, near a river, or below a dam.
I''m no idiot, moron or fool- I don''t live in any of those locations- I knew how to CHECK OUT a location BEFORE moving in and buying a house.

[lovesamerica]

Newster1, you are a complete waste. When you take over this site I switch off.... Now, the Americans that survived the China earthquake,of course feel it is a miracle..to each one of them,their lives were spared. What if trees toppled on them or the earth opened up, give them their miracle and quit splitting hairs you folks. The Chinese seem to be helping each other and themselves as best they can. Other than 911,and the Hurricane nightmare,
our country has been spared such huge disasterous events . We already have shown how we will act,not all, but some.Steal,hoard,sit around and wait for someone to take care of you. It has to be an awful feeling, but Americans can really learn some humanity lessons pertaining to acts of a really p''o''d mother nature, and the stupidity of our fellow humans,that do not hold life dear.

[lovesamerica]

We need to put things in perspective. Gas prices are high,if that means you must park your Hummers,boats,traveltrailers for a year...so be it. It should shake everyone up that our natural resources will not last forever,and unless we practice cutting back on their usage,we will be right back to where we were 100yrs ago. our penchant for stuff is causing worldwide deforestation,the trees that provide us air. Species of animals are dissapearing at an alarming rate, and yes, even a slug is an intrical part of the universe. All these tragedies in the last 2weeks, cyclones,tornados,volcanos,earthquakes, should make us realise...It doesn''t matter if we have crabgrass,are overweight,don''t have a beamer, must pack a bag lunch ect... What is important is our humanity and the natural world around us, don''t dump your family for the newest ''piece''. don''t alienate your families,don''t pollute our land and waterways and above all remember these very actions are creating a world that will be very ugly in the near future...

[xraytwonine]

The group was trapped for three days in a remote... After the quake struck, the group returned to their hotel from the nature reserve only to find that the building was too unstable to enter. " ""The toilet situation was horrendous. That was the worst part. " ""We had only rice soup. We were rationed one bowl of rice soup two times a day."


ARE YOU F1CKING KIDDING ME? This goes to show how the so-called "civilized world" view the rest of the world and its people; You are F1CKING ALIVE AND WELL, WHAT MIRACLE? YOU WEREN''T EVEN TRAP BY ANYTHING, COMPLAINING ABOUT FOOD AND THE TOILET? WHAT KIND OF NEWS IS THIS?

Just cause a bunch of well-off people from the western world is ok that makes it a miracle? what kind of human being are you?

[xraytwonine]

The group was trapped for three days in a remote... After the quake struck, the group returned to their hotel from the nature reserve only to find that the building was too unstable to enter. " ""The toilet situation was horrendous. That was the worst part. " ""We had only rice soup. We were rationed one bowl of rice soup two times a day."


ARE YOU F1CKING KIDDING ME? This goes to show how the so-called "civilized world" view the rest of the world and its people; You are F1CKING ALIVE AND WELL, WHAT MIRACLE? YOU WEREN''T EVEN TRAP BY ANYTHING, COMPLAINING ABOUT FOOD AND THE TOILET? WHAT KIND OF NEWS IS THIS?

Just cause a bunch of well-off people from the western world is ok that makes it a miracle? what kind of human being are you?

[xraytwonine]

The group was trapped for three days in a remote... After the quake struck, the group returned to their hotel from the nature reserve only to find that the building was too unstable to enter. " ""The toilet situation was horrendous. That was the worst part. " ""We had only rice soup. We were rationed one bowl of rice soup two times a day." "reach their tour group by satellite phone"


ARE YOU F1CKING KIDDING ME? This goes to show how the so-called "civilized world" view the rest of the world and its people;

You are F1CKING ALIVE AND WELL, WHAT MIRACLE? YOU WEREN''T EVEN TRAP BY ANYTHING, COMPLAINING ABOUT FOOD AND THE TOILET? WHAT KIND OF NEWS IS THIS?

Just cause a bunch of well-off people from the western world is ok that makes it a miracle? what kind of human being are you?

[lovesamerica]

I too noticed what ''adversity'' the 12 Americans had to suffer. But remember,they were in a foreign country and are used to a different life style. We spaz if the power goes out, or the water tastes a little funny. Because they live in amore blessed country as far asliving conditions, do not trivialize their happiness at surviving a horrible experience that I am sure will haunt them all their lives. Maybe the reporters should think before printing a comment someone made under diress, even if it was a little lacking in sensitivity.

[gce65]

CBS: PLease don''t turn this disastrous death of 50K+ into some little fantasy miracle story about 1 person''s survival. In a year it''s still going to be ''08 Earthquake in China, not The Miracle of ''08.

[obamawhama]

What makes you think I haven''''t?
That''''s by the way what having full coverage replacement INSURANCE is for!

As it happens I live in a place that is NOT prone to quakes, floods or natural disasters, only idiots, morons and fools build and live next to volcanos, on or near earthquake faults, on the coast, by the beach front, near a river, or below a dam.
I''''m no idiot, moron or fool- I don''''t live in any of those locations- I knew how to CHECK OUT a location BEFORE moving in and buying a house.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by newster1 at 08:35 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse


*************

okay if you say so..Isnt nice to think that you are in control of life..how you live..how you die..

man i wonder how patethic you would be ONCE YOU ARE PROVEN WRONG..

[obamawhama]

So which IS IT whamma? a perfect paradise where you are young, perfect and free with your dead relatives forever, or in a dark hole in the ground oblivious to all?

You can''''t have it BOTH ways honey!










--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by newster1 at 08:30 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse


*************

ahhhhhhhhhhh so its all about your hatred from religion...that would make yours even sweeter..my only wish is that i be there as you lay bleeding and dying..YOU HAVE A VERY BITTER AND SHALLOW PERCEPTION OF REALITY...btw...you and a christian can fu ck each other for all I care

[obamawhama]

Posted by newster1 at 08:30 PM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse

******************************

it is obvious that you had conditioned yourself to be the MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE..you live and reside in a place where misery, death and mayhem does not exist..what is it?? made a ''prayed'' for a million dollars to god and it never happened?? you are right..you dont need a god..what you need is a genie, a butler and a shoulder try cry on..

The only thing that you can do is minimize what will happen to you..insurance..moving to the middle of the desert..that kind of things..funny enough NOBODY IS IMMUNE..when IT COMES (oh yes it will come)..you would be there gawked faced..mouth wide open and asking yourself..''HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN TO ME" and again..some athiest would comment.."shut up and may you die a slow and painful death"

[obamawhama]

to end my rant...SOME, not all, athiest had bordered this patehtic little interpretation of athiesm into "hate religion" in oppose to "not believing in religion"...they become un-sympatethic towards the misery of others because some cbs reporter happen to add "miracle" in the story...

[nothappyatall]

okay if you say so..Isnt nice to think that you are in control of life..how you live..how you die..

man i wonder how patethic you would be ONCE YOU ARE PROVEN WRONG..
Posted by obamawhama"


oooh a bit testy tonight dear? that time of the month perhaps?
Read my post again, I did not say I live in a 100% quake/disaster proof location, I said I dont live in a place that has a history of or is prone to any of those disasters, unlike the idiots who build million dollar homes in sight of volcanoes (Mt St Helens etc) , on the beachfront (New Orleans etc), on an known quake fault (Los Angeles etc) overlooking a river, below a dam, in a flood plain, or nestled in a forest that has annual forest fires.

[nothappyatall]

So which IS IT whamma? a perfect paradise where you are young, perfect and free with your dead relatives forever, or in a dark hole in the ground oblivious to all?
You cant have it BOTH ways honey!
Posted by newster1

*************
ahhhhhhhhhhh so its all about your hatred from religion...that would make yours even sweeter..my only wish is that i be there as you lay bleeding and dying..YOU HAVE A VERY BITTER AND SHALLOW PERCEPTION OF REALITY...

Posted by obamawhama"

I hate religion yup! why not? its been responsible for millions of deaths, torture, jailing, burning at the stake and fanatics- its totally useless like the Easter Bunny that chits decorated chocolate eggs in your garden.

".btw...you and a christian can fu ck each other for all I care

Posted by obamawhama""

I dont ''do'' humans, people are filth, --- animals ONLY for me.
youtube.com/user/dersheeple

[nothappyatall]

...they become un-sympatethic towards the misery of others because some cbs reporter happen to add "miracle" in the story...

Posted by obamawhama


I dont care if the reporter put ''miracle'' in the story, why on earth would people halfway around the globe need my sympathy? they mean nothing to me, I mean nothing to them, we will never meet and dont know each other, we have our OUR problems here in the USA with our OWN disasters and deaths, we certainly dont need travel halfway around the globe to find it- charity begins at HOME, like hint hint; KATRINA victims, remember them? like hint hint: people losing homes due to loss of jobs in a sour economy, like hint hint: the old man I read about whose electric was shut off for lack of payment so he burned kerosene for light and heat, and was found DEAD- suffocated for lack of paying an ELECTRIC bill in the richest country in the world.

We need to worry a LOT less about the squalling overpopulated third world who cant seem to use birth control, and a lot more about our OWN people here!