People across China are learning more about the enormity of the tragedy in Sichuan Province as news of lost colleagues begin to emerge. China Mobile continues to search for seven missing employees who have not been seen since the company’s office building in Beichuan County collapsed in the earthquake.

We are also mourning the death of our colleague, lineman Liu Jianqiu, 36, who was killed when an aftershock hit Lixian County, Sichuan Province, on May 17. Li died in hospital after being hit by falling rocks as he and fellow lineman Li Weixiang were laying cables to restore communications links in the devastated quake zone.

Li Weixiang was injured in the aftershock and his condition is said to be critical. Both men worked for China Mobile’s Aba Prefecture branch. Our hearts go out to their families at this time.

Less than two days after the May 12 earthquake, China Mobile president Wang Jianzhou, walked the last five kilometres into what used to be the bustling county seat of Beichuan. There he comforted his still shaken employees, listened to their stories and urged them not to give up hope.

“Every bit of extra effort can save one more life. Your duty is sacred,” Wang told China Mobile’s exhausted emergency response teams in Beichuan. Zhang Dingqiang, a China Mobile manager, told Wang about the day his world changed forever.

Thirteen China Mobile employees of Beijchuan branch had just returned from their lunch break and were about to start a meeting, when the office building began to shake violently. Someone shouted ‘Earthquake’ and time seemed to freeze. Beichuan’s branch manager, Wu Wendao, called for calm. “Don’t panic! Women out first,” he ordered, a moment before the office building collapsed in a pile of rubble.

Wu didn’t make it to safety, but miraculously managed to drag himself out of the mess that was once his office. His leg was badly broken.

Down the road in the city of Mianyang, China Mobile’s branch office was also badly shaken, but not seriously damaged by the Monday afternoon earthquake. Manager, Zhang Dingqiang, immediately ordered all the local area offices to report their status. Within a half an hour of the quake, all branches, except the one in Beichuan, had responded. With dread filling the air, Zhang dispatched two China Mobile employees to Beichuan.

As the China Mobile staffers from Mianyang got closer to Beichuan, their hearts sank. Their way was blocked by huge boulders and mudslides, bridges and building had collapsed.

The pair from Mainyang branch finally reached their stunned colleagues in Beichun to find manager Wu with a shattered right leg. They carried him back to their Mianyang office where they also raised the alarm. This was the first news of the scale of the damage and the extent of the tragedy.

Sichuan branch Vice General Manager, Yi Xianzhi, immediately ordered China Mobile emergency trucks to race from the provincial capital in Chengdu to Beichuan. He and the equipment arrived in Beichuan on the evening of the 13th.

The next evening, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Beichuan. He was briefed on the situation at the disaster relief headquarters where a China Mobile emergency communications truck was already in operation.

China Mobile’s emergency vehicles were not only used to coordinate relief efforts, but soldiers at the headquarters could make brief calls to family members outside the devastated area. One soldier, surnamed Wang, told this China Mobile writer that he hadn’t been able to reach his family for two days and they were very relieved to hear from him.

As of May 16th disaster relief continues to move forward but a pale of sadness now cloaks the area.

China Mobile’s missing employees are; Chen Jun, Xiao Min, Chen Li, Feng Yan, Li Bixia, Shen Qi, Liu Chunyan.

Our hearts are with you, and we hope to see you.

Relative News