Rumoring at its worst!...
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BEIJING - Police in northern China yesterday hunted for the origin of an earthquake rumour that prompted tens of thousands of terrified people to flee outdoors over the weekend.
Word that an earthquake was imminent began spreading by phone, Internet and text message through parts of Shanxi province on Saturday afternoon.
City residents spent the freezing night in the streets or in their cars, while panic-stricken rural villages used public address systems to broadcast warnings, according to The Beijing News newspaper.
Officials responded overnight, deploying radio, television and text messages to broadcast a provincial earthquake bureau bulletin telling residents not to believe or spread the earthquake rumour.
"Only the provincial government is authorised to issue earthquake forecasts. No other body or individual has that right," said the notice, posted on the bureau's website.
Spreading rumours in China is punishable with a fine and detention for not more than 10 days.
Shanxi government spokeswoman Wang Laying said the panic may have been prompted by a misunderstanding over earthquake survival drills being conducted by the local authorities. AP
From TODAY, Tuesday, 23-Feb-2010
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