Did toads predict the earthquake?

080513 chinaT

According to recent estimates, the earthquake that hit China on Monday could leave 10,000 people dead. Web users are saying that the catastrophe could have been avoided, if only they had listened to the toads.

Two days before the quake thousands of toads suddenly decided to move across a bridge in Taizhou, a town in the Jiangsu province (see photos). Chinese web users are wondering why the local authorities didn't relate the event to the imminence of an earthquake, and why scientists didn't take notice of the bizarre disappearance of a lake in Enshi, in the Hubei province, on April 26 (see photos).

A seismologist tells us that the Chinese have long relied on the behaviour of animals to predict earthquakes. Although there's no scientific study to back up the farmers' claims, the idea that toads sensed the earthquake should not be ruled out.

Contributors

"Animals sense pre-earthquake micro-tremors"

Pascal Bernard is a researcher in a team of seismologists at the Jussieu University in Paris.

Although it's difficult to prove that toads "predicted" the quake, it's certainly not impossible. We know that animals sense pre-earthquake micro-tremors, and react to underground water movements, or even changes in the composition of the air. It's just that these theories haven't been scientifically proven yet.

China has a long tradition of seismology studies based particularly on looking at the behaviour of rats, snakes, toads etc. The idea was very fashionable in the 70s [when scientific researchers were ousted in the cultural revolution]. Farmers very carefully noted down all the different kinds of behaviour of animals in the hope of predicting natural catastrophes. But in my experience it never really worked. In 1975, villagers did manage to predict an earthquake and avoid catastrophe. But it was because they felt the mini-tremors, not because of something they noticed in the animals."

Pascal Bernard's picture

Pascal Bernard

  • France
  • Seismologist

Swamped by toads in Taizhou (Jiangsu province)

10 May 08. Via Chinese website QQ.

A pond disappears in Enshi (Hubei province)

April 26. Via QQ.

Resulting in a good catch for a fisherman.

Comments

I believe the toads did

I believe the toads did predict the earthquake. It is more likely that they did than they didn't. The reason is because all animals have a sense and they know when something bad is going to happen. Just take birds for instance. They always migrate to the south when the winter comes. It's a survival tactic.

keyword elite | search engine optimization | run your car on water | weight loss | learn spanish

Unregistered user

The quake and toads

I am sure there is something in this - I will say that the one time I have felt a quake (this occur very infrequently in the UK) there was no evidence of exceptional animal activity, dogs barking etc.

Unregistered user

surely in this day and ae

surely in this day and ae they have ways to detect these things anyway? just doesnt sem right that all those people died without knowing anything at all.

Unregistered user

True Enough

Meditation is a great way to connect with your spirituality. Not only that but we can actually heal our mind and body through meditation.

Unregistered user

meditation is crap

meditation is crapola. it is the worst thing ever. they made us do it at school and it sucked. so that mans your comment sucked.

Unregistered user

The cows in San Francisco...

Prior to the GREAT EARTHQUAKE early last century in San Francisco the cows were seen running across town...

Unregistered user

My dog barks

When my dog barks at nothing, does this mean I should go on vacation?

No, my dog is very old and he is half blind and fully deaf. Animals do strange things all the time. So if you are planning on reacting to every weird thing a dog, cat, toad, bird or whale does, I hope you got a lot of air miles!

Unregistered user

Hund

Animals are a lot smarter than we know about. They can sense things we cannot predict - like the toads! They perhaps have a strong intuision? :-)

My dog does strange things too, but I don't think that it is a convenience that so many toads just appares in the middle of the street without no reason.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I like to think that there are things we cannot understand :-)

Unregistered user

Remember the tsunami in

Remember the tsunami in Thailand, all the elephants, birds and forest animals running off 2 hours before the wave. As a result 5000 people died in this country, and 0 animals...and those pets got no air miles!

Unregistered user

Good point, but Taizhou is

Good point, but Taizhou is in Jiangsu province, a long way from the epicentre at Wenquan in Sichuan. Same with the pond in Hubei.Maybe the toads sensed something, maybe not - but the point is moot as nobody could have used this information to accurately predict the exact location or time of the impending earthquake.

Unregistered user

I felt the quake before it happened.

This is not the first quake I have sensed before it has happened, so I associated that feeling with this one.
I told my son the day before that I felt a big earthquake was to happen in China or Peru.
Perhaps Peru is next.
I told him this is not good, and that I hope I'm wrong, because Lots of peolple will die.
Perhaps my involvement in martial arts and meditation has given me some form of hightened sense.
God Bless all that need help.

Unregistered user

Perhaps...

...or perhaps you are just a ridiculous Jedi-wanna-be? And yes, I DO want fries with that.

Unregistered user

There is always going to be

There is always going to be someone like you. Apathetic, sarcastic and hella ignorant. You see, people like you like to live life so simple. You embody the essence of simplistic features, you define the word "simple" to describe a large group of people. I think you are sadder than what has happened to Myanmar and China put together.. hey, that says something! ... You're pathetic!

Unregistered user

Why be an asshole? It's a

Why be an [deleted]? It's a choice, you know. Crazy isn't always.

Unregistered user

The Earthquake was Triggered Technologically

The Earthquake was Triggered Technologically, possibly as an act of war or just as a test, by the HAARP antennae array in Alaska or some similar technology. Do your homework and look into the bizarre cloud formations that were noted before the quake. Here are some links to get you started

http://www.unknowncountry.com/news/?id=6882

http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/mg19826514.600-curious...

Please look into everything and do not presume there must only be a mundane explanation

Unregistered user

WOW...

I mean... wow... do you really....? WOW!
Any fool knows that it was caused by Captain Neemo's giant journey-to-the-center-of-the-earth-type drilling ship/machine, that dug to deep...to deep... and now... now we shall all suffer the wrath of the Balgrog... or by terrorists all jumping up and down at the same time...either way.

Unregistered user

Open your mind like your empty field.

Its very simple, during an earthquake, the best trick to surviving is getting the heck out of whatever structure you are in, and scurry your way to an open field. Your death is caused by heavy debris, crushing your life away.

You do not die from the physical act of an earthquake rumble.

Its a scientific fact that animals of all types, hear and see different spectrum's than humans. The fact remains that these spectral forces were deep within the earth, kilometers deep. Frogs bury themselves, snakes bury themselves.

They were being agitated by the steady clicking and ever growing rapid pressure waves eminating from below their burrows. Thus, fearing for their life.

Their "escape for you life" biological mechanism was activated by these subterrainian clicks and squibs.

Earthquakes are caused by metric tons of falling rocks, and millions of gallons of falling liquids underground. Taught to us as "tectonic plates" shifting. The animals heard these falling rocks, and falling waters deep underground.

It startled them like a firecracker blowing up at 3am while fully alseep.

Unregistered user

Re: Predictions

According to several sources, there were predictions made that an earthquake was going to strike. But only some people took it seriously.

Unregistered user

Erratic animal migrations and behavior is NOT uncommon

"Mianzhu residents feared the toads were a sign of an approaching natural disaster, but a local forestry bureau official said it was normal, the Huaxi Metropolitan newspaper reported May 10, two days before the earthquake. "
- LiveScience.com

You see? NORMAL. Animal migrations are normal. This one happen HUNDREDs of miles from the epicenter. It also happened to only be a few days off from an earthquake.

As you are aware, frogs are afraid of earthquakes like us. Some local residents even reported to have heard the frogs say:
"Quick froggies, RUN! or we're gonna get smashed by a giant cattail, or get swallowed up by a giant hole in the ground."

Unregistered user

OMG

Look at what the earthquake did to the fisherman's teeth!

Unregistered user

I had and eerie psychic

I had and eerie psychic premonition in my testes before the quake that this man's teeth would be ruined.

Unregistered user

stupid American.

stupid American.

Unregistered user

LOL!

LOL that was funny

Unregistered user

Thanks for the laugh.

That comment was too funny.

Unregistered user

My point is, no one needs to

My point is, no one needs to prove or disprove that whether animals are capable of predicting earthquake...whenever you see unusual behaviour of such magnitude, what's the problem in being a little bit cautious and staying away from home for the following 2/3 days just in case? Which hurts more? being ridiculed or losing limbs? (if you are lucky enough to survive)

If you prefer to rely on science, your next 2 generations might be the victim before scientists will find that indeed animals can predict earthquake after 100 years of reserach and declare that early sicentists were wrong about it!

Unregistered user

If this picture of all these

If this picture of all these toads happened in China, then how come there isn't anyone collecting them for dinner? LOL

Unregistered user

eat frogs not toads ;)

eat frogs not toads ;)

Unregistered user

for my mind , the excess

for my mind , the excess 7.0-magnitude erathquake could be forecasted

Unregistered user

Well that says a lot about

Well that says a lot about your mind now doesn't it?

Unregistered user

Frogs not toads

They look like frogs, not toads and they are probably seeking water which was drained into the earth. I mean... where does a toad or frog think they are going evacuate to? An airport? LoL! Definitely not a bridge! The article states catastrophe could have been avoided... an earthquake cannot be avoided... the death toll would possibly not be so bad though. However, I do believe animals and people can be sensitive to such things.

Unregistered user