The following report by 'Disasters' workshop participant Gui Tao, of Xinhua, is of special interest as it reflects well the technique of reporting events as they unfurl - covering breaking news is an essential skill for news agency reporters, who as this shows must rely on the facts and their own observation to tell the story - which in fact adds to the drama and colour. Gui Tao was working in Henan, central China, where the big earthquake and aftershocks were felt strongly, although it was not nearly as badly hit as Sichuan province. He later reported on relief work and interviewed refugees from the earthquake.

In a message to the Reuters Foundation, Gui Tao said: "I felt the earthquake in a building in Zhengzhou. After calling back to the Xinhua headquarters, my colleague and I rushed to the provincial seismic bureau. On our way back to the Xinhua local branch, I finished the report about Henan's situation in the earthquake...

"Next morning, I went to the local train terminal to talk with some displaced people from the quake areas in Sichuan. I began my interview by giving a little girl a loaf of bread and persuaded her out of crying.  I still remembered your tips -- never begin your interview by asking 'How do you feel now?'

"I do think the seminar was timely and helpful." 

-----

Hsinhua network, ZhengZhou. Report of May 12th (reporters Gui Tao and Zhang xing-chun).

Information gleaned from the Henan Provincial Earthquake Bureau: at 28 minutes past two pm on May 12th Sichuan suffered a quake of level eight on the open-ended Richter scale, everywhere in Henan Province suffered clearly felt tremors. At the time of compiling this report we had no information on casualties or damage to buildings and property.
 
When the quake hit, these reporters were in a high-rise building in New District, ZhengZhou East. The building shook significantly and we felt dizzy, the walls in our office cracked and the plaster fell off the walls, furniture shook and there was a big noise. Many residents ran outside and collected in open spaces in the town.
 
At the Number Eight Middle School and Wei Yi Road Primary School and at the Wei Wu Number One Primary School (we saw that) teachers had taken their students and dispersed them to the recreation fields. The students were all squatting on their heels on the ground. After they had all been identified by their parents, their families took them home.
 
It is understood that the city's 22 universities and other learning institutions immediately stopped their classes and organised the dispersal of their students.
 
Lu Guo-He, Head of the Henan Earthquake Bureau said that, according to information from the State Seismology Office's network, the quake's epicentre was located at Wen Chuan Xian Prefecture in Sichuan Province, 1,050 kilometres distant from Henan Province. Previously the most powerful quake Henan had experienced was 6.5 on the Richter scale.
 
3.34 pm: There is an aftershook in Henan of five on the Richter scale.
 
After the quake the Henan Earthquake Bureau immediately used TV, radio and mobile phone texting to inform people of the situation and to announce that the quake would not disrupt normal life in Henan. They appealed to people not to panic.
 
4.40 pm: These reporters in the streets of ZhengZhou saw crowds of people in open spaces seeking news. The people were fairly calm.
 
Leading comrades reported by phone from Nanyang municipality, which is closer to Sichuan Province, that there had been strong shocks there but as yet they had no reports of casualties or the scale of the damage. In Henan province we understand the railways, airports and other communications infrastructure have not been heavily damaged. It was difficult to get through on mobile phones because of congestion but the mobile network is undamaged and phone communications are getting back to normal.
 
After the quake the Secretary of the Party Committee Xu Guang-Chun and the acting Provincial Governor, Guo Geng-Mao, immediately rushed to the provincial earthquake bureau for on-the-spot meetings to analyse the situation.
 
After large quakes there can be more aftershocks and the masses should pay attention to predictions and warnings. Out on the streets these reporters interviewed residents who were preparing to sleep outdoors on streets or in open spaces. Others were making their own warning arrangements by hanging up bells and chimes to alert them of any shocks. Friends and relatives were speaking by phone or texting each other asking how people were and sending best wishes for everyone's safe-keeping.
 
It is understood the next move by the Henan Earthquake Bureau will be to assemble information from all quarters to strengthen quake forcasting, to raise vigilance and to issue better warnings.

(Unofficial translation by Peter Griffiths, former Reuters correspondent in Beijing)

END