The Chinese are at the forefront of this science, though even there, nothing could be done to prevent the awful tragedy of July 1976 when Tang-shan, a city of a million people, was reduced to rubble in a few minutes.…After Tang-shan, the Chinese government did not seek outside help but poured its own resources in on an extraordinary scale. Tens of thousands of relief workers arrived to restore services, repair damage and provide medical aid, and Tang-shan was recreated with amazing speed.