Listening to your report brought tears to my eye. My heart goes out to those who lost their family in the earthquake. Please tell us what we can do to help.

Sent by Xiaoliang | 2:55 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Oh what a tragedy. I've been following your blog series for a while, and what a coincidence that this happens during your special coverage of Chengdu area. Please keep us updated. God bless you.

Sent by Min | 3:15 PM ET | 05-12-2008

OMG. I am in tears! Chengdu is my home town and my whole family is there. I was in sound sleep this morning in San Diego, CA.

A friend from east coast called and wanted me to turn on the news. I called my family in Chengdu, everyone is accounted for. Maybe due to the sandy soil of Chengdu area, there seemed no major collapse in the city itself considering how close it is to the epicenter and how many high rise buildings are there... I am praying for the kids trapped in the collapsed school buildings... I can't think of words to express my feelings for them...

Sent by Dan | 4:12 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Thank you for the postings from Chengdu. Please keep up with the postings, your personal accounts of the earthquake are the most powerful and the most informative. By the way, do you have any information on the Wolong Panda Reserve? I read that it is close to the epicenter.

Sent by Jean Wang | 4:53 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Thanks Melissa for the report from the Juyuan school. I was moved to tears. Your words are so powerful, better than any picutres.
As an American how can I donate to the rescue effort directly? Thanks.
Eric

Sent by Eric | 5:55 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Melissa's coverage of the school collapse evoked a wellspring of tears streaming down the face of this US middle school teacher. I recounted the faces of my students from the past 30 years and ached for the families in China who are grieving or in limbo. How close I had gotten to many of the families who shared their children with me. As an added anxiety, my elder son is in Shanghai on a full tuition scholarship from the consulate of the Chinese government, and I have not been able to reach him yet (I know the epicenter is far from him, but I heard that tremors were felt in Shanghai). We Skyped my Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. CST (11:30 a.m. his Monday morning), and I shudder when I realize this terrible tragedy was only hours away. Please continue your detailed and thorough coverage, as my son has mentioned on numerous occasions that the Chinese news process is "iffy, at best." I am a long-time NPR junkie and have always appreciated your perspective on reporting the news, and your integrity in doing so. I am the gifted education instructor in my school district and would appreciate knowing of any aid efforts my students could collaborate on before the end of our school year (May 21).
Thank you so very much.
Disa

Sent by Disa Farris | 8:45 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Hi Eric,

Relief orgs are just ramping up to help out in China; many of them have already been scrambling to help in Myanmar. I just posted a list of some charities to the blog.

Sent by andy carvin, npr | 10:43 PM ET | 05-12-2008

You guys did a great job. Take great care of yourselves, too. I have reached most of my relatives in Sichuan and they are fine. Some have started cooking and taking rest. Let's hope the best.

Sent by Jialing Liu | 11:44 PM ET | 05-12-2008

I don't think I ever need to play the lottery again, because this time I won. I spent the 3 longest minutes of my life under a desk in a shaking building in Chengdu. My daughter was 5 miles away from me in her small school building. I read the news reports, but I avoid the pictures. Each and everyone of them passed through my mind while under that desk, so I don't need to see them again. In Chengdu there are some fallen tiles, a few cracked walls, but that is all. It could have been me. It could have been her. Only 60 miles away...

Sent by Alyson | 1:27 AM ET | 05-13-2008

If you return to Dujiangyan, please try to check on the status of the GuangYa School (a K-12 International Baccalaureate). My colleague, Juanita Suarez, has been on sabbatical there this semester and we have not heard from her. Thank you for these reports and for any information you can provide.

Ginnie Bacheler
The College at Brockport
Brockport, NY 14420

Sent by Virginia Bacheler | 7:50 AM ET | 05-13-2008

Dear Andy:
I checked your link to list to some charities. It didn't work.

Eric

Sent by Eric | 9:13 AM ET | 05-13-2008

How far away from the epicenter is Chibi City, Hubei??

Sent by Jim | 11:41 AM ET | 05-13-2008

Eric: Yeah, it's been taken down for some revisions. Hope it'll be reposted soon.

Jim: From what I can tell, Chibi is at least 500-700 miles east of the epicenter. You may want to see if you can get Google Earth or something map it out for you.

Sent by andy carvin, npr | 12:04 PM ET | 05-13-2008

To Ginnie,

I posted a request for information on Guang Ya as well as I was a past teacher there. Wei responded, "Although the City of Dujiangyan suffered huge loses, the Guangya School is still safe. I got this information from Chinese web sites." Hopefully, that means that your colleague is safe as well.

Sent by Stephanie | 11:37 PM ET | 05-13-2008

My family is planning a trip to China, including 3 days in Chengdu beginning June 8. Should we change our plans and skip Chengdu due to the earthquake?
Thanks!

Sent by Keith Bobay | 10:46 AM ET | 05-14-2008