The official opening came after a six-month trial run, and visitors to the museum at the foot of Fragrant Hill in Haidian District watched a film about earthquakes.

In 1976, an earthquake killed 240,000 people and badly injured 160,000 in the city of Tangshan in North China's Hebei Province.

Various activities -- including films, exhibitions and demonstrations of how to rescue people during an earthquake -- were held in Tangshan yesterday to remember the disaster, which damaged more than 97 percent of the city's commercial and residential buildings.

Visitors to the Beijing museum will have access to basic information on earthquakes and earthquake prevention and relief techniques. They can also get earthquake data online with the aid of museum staff at the museum's Internet cafe.

Chen Jianmin, vice-director of the State Bureau of Seismology, addressed the museum's opening ceremony on Saturday. He said that it is vital to improve awareness of earthquake forecast and alleviation in China, which is frequently affected by earthquakes.

During the 20th century, around 100 devastating earthquakes occurred in China and left about 590,000 dead and 760,000 disabled.

Chen urged governments at all levels to focus on earthquake forecast and relief, and to provide better earthquake monitoring and forecasting.

He said improved monitoring and forecasting could help save lives and minimize damage.

Chen added that, over the past few years, China has made much progress in forecasting earthquakes and in providing earthquake relief and this has played an important role in the country's modernization.

(China Daily July 29, 2002)