China earthquake magnitude revised to 8.0 Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 04:07:00 05/19/2008 BEIJING—The China Seismological Bureau on Sunday revised upward the magnitude of the May 12 earthquake, which was felt as far away as Bangkok, to 8.0 from 7.8 on the Richter scale, according to Xinhua news agency.
The US Geological Survey has put the magnitude of the tremor at 7.9, as has the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The magnitude was revised upward after Chinese specialists carried out detailed measurements of the earthquake, according to international practices, Xinhua reported.
The revision to 8.0 is bound to be noted by the superstitious. Eight is a lucky number in China, where the Beijing Olympics are set to open on Aug. 8—8/8/8—at 8:08 p.m.
The Internet has been abuzz with commentary on the fact that the earthquake, China's most devastating in three decades, took place exactly 88 days before the Olympics' opening ceremony.
译文:
法新社：中国地震震级上升至里氏8.0级
北京方面消息——根据中国新华社的报道，2008年5月12日，中国地震局将汶川地震震级，从里氏7.8级修订为里氏8.0级，该次地震波及范围范围很广，甚至连曼谷都有明显震感。
美国地质调查局和日本气象局的检测到的震级都为7.9级。
根据国际惯例，地震专家对这次地震的参数进行了详细测定，因此震级级数有所上调。
8.0的级数多少带有迷信的痕迹，8在中国是幸运数字，中国将北京奥运会的开始时间设定为2008年8月8日晚上8点08分。
现在国际社会对此也是众说纷纭，因为凑巧的是，这场30年来中国境内最强烈的一次地震，恰好发生在距北京奥运会开幕还有88天之时。