Hi Wood from Guangzhou,

Thanks for that - I have just this morning read that Hu Jintao has flown to Sichuan. That's good and so he should - but I guess that leaves all the eggs in one basket, unless Wen Jiabao has left?

Rob Smith, derby, UK

To Lim and Rob

Premier in China has more responsibilities than the president in the issue of internal affairs, Wen Jiabao is in charge of most big issues arise in the state, he is the chief executive of the central government. you see the difference?

Morris N Yang, Birmingham, UK

Rob Smith, derby, UK

Rob, u r wrong. I am a Chinese Malaysian,
At this juncture there is no point wondering where President Hu is. Most important is the rescue work in Sichuan, saving lives and helping people to regain and rebuild lives. All these efforts are monitored by able Premier Wen. Tku

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Rob Smith, derby, UK

Rob, I am sorry if I have offended you. You are right. Like you I am wondering where President Hu is. CCTV only mentioned him giving instructions but no personal appearance. Anyway I will focus on the quake situation and hope that the President is ok and will been seen soon.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Rob, you were asking a naive question. this is a big country, when big thing happens, we have a prime assigned on site, but the leader need to care about if there is anything else happening to the country. Not putting all eggs in one basket, do you understand? And now "Big Brother Hu" is in Sichuan

Wood, GZ, China

No Lim I am just surprised that he has not shown his face for so long. Did Hu come out in public to order the PLA on its relief effort? I am not sure, I am just wondering where he is - being the leader of the country and all and having disappeared.

Rob Smith, derby, UK

Lim, you're not Chinese either - you are Malaysian - big difference.

Rob Smith, derby, UK

I will be realistic. No human beings no matter how brilliant he is cannot fight nature. Whatever construction, whatever technology, humans cannot win. Whenever there is a tremor why do humans panic and run to open space even when the building can withstand a high level on the scale. No chance taken.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Rob Smith, derby, UK

Didn't you hear President Hu gave orders for an all out rescue plan to the PLA. He need not be at scene as Premier Wen was good enough to direct efforts personally. You are not Chinese and why are you so concerned about the whereabout of the President.
Thanks but no thanks

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Daniel Roth, Chicago, IL. 60630, USA

Daniel Roth, you can keep your athletes at home if you do not trust the Chinese construction of the Olympic village buildings.
Maybe your athletes who look forward to competing will say you are talking nonsense.

Lim, Johor Bahru, Malaysia

The earthquake released an energy equal to over 400 atomic bombs. No populated place in the world could have escaped unscathed from an earthquake of this magnitude even if they have good construction and materials . The Chinese people are very fortunate the dams did not burst during the earthquake.

Lee, NY,

Where is President Hu Jintao in all of this - he seems to have vanished from the face of the earth since his Japan trip and hasn't been seen in public or so I hear from a contact in China. You would have thought he would be down there in Sichuan, along with Wen Jiabao.

Rob Smith, derby, UK

Thor of Reykjavik, the point is was (sarcastically, I admit) trying to make is that designing a HUGE dam to withstand 7.0 earthquakes in a region with a history of much stronger temblors is shooting crap on a monumental scale. Once the reservoir behind it is full, 200,000,000 people will be at risk.

Laurence Tenney, San Francisco,

What does your comment have anything to do with this article? For a long time people have said the Atomic bomb is the worlds most dangerous weapon, i tend to think ignorance is more dangerous and Dan clearly proves my point.

"The quake registered four on the Richter scale in the dam area"

Thor, Reykjavik, Iceland

I am surprised that Americans are so critical of Chinese construction and locations. Why do Americans build wooden houses in areas prone to tornados or huricanes. The disaster of New Orleans is also there for the world to see.

Martin, Izmir,

This dam brought to you by those same wonderful people who brought you the Three Gorges Dam, also built in the middle of a known earthquake zone and designed to withstand a 7.0 Richter Scale earthquake.

Bleedin' brilliant!

Laurence Tenney, San Francisco,

Given the apparent shoddy construction of the structures in this active earthquake zone; has anyone examined the construction of the buildings that are going to house the Olympic athletes in two months? Can you imagine the outrage if those athletes are illed in a quake do to poor construction?

Daniel Roth, Chicago, IL. 60630, USA