Hi John. Note the similarities in the two quakes China is saying they predicted. Both areas had an increase in activity just before the quake. The thing that has always bothered me is that did they think these were foreshocks and if so why did they?

Earthquake Prediction: Haicheng, China - 1975

In 1975: Chinese officials ordered the evacuation of Haicheng (population about 1 million)

Reason: Reports from scientists and other observers that over a period of months there were changes in land elevation and ground water levels

There were widespread accounts of peculiar animal behavior

Regional increase in seismicity (which later was recognized as foreshocks) had triggered a low-level alert.

Increase in foreshock activity triggered the evacuation warning.

February 4, 1975: Magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the region a few days after the evacuation. 2,041 people died; 27,538 were injured. It was estimated that the number of fatalities and injuries would have exceeded 150,000 if no earthquake prediction and evacuation had been made.

On July 28, 1976 a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the city of Tangshan, a city with approximately one million inhabitants, without warning. No foreshocks, no strange animal behavior. Nothing. It occurred out of the blue. There were 250,000 fatalities and 164,000 injured. To me two successful predictions and a handful of some close calls don’t mean a successful prediction program. Take Care…Don in creepy town