A MAGNITUDE 7.0 EARTHQUAKE hit Jiuzhaigou county, Southwestern China's Sichuan province, on Tuesday evening, causing 20 deaths and about 175 injuries. Almost the moment the earthquake struck, people began sharing information about it via social media networks. Thepaper.cn comments:

Minutes after the earthquake struck, many people in Sichuan shared photos and comments via the social media app WeChat, saying they felt the quake at home. After the news was confirmed by official sources, people sent their "be safe" wishes via WeChat. Later, videos of the earthquake and its aftermath were posted.

No previous earthquake has been reported by so many people in so intensive a manner. Social media apps made it possible for the whole of society to know what was happening as it happened.