Chinese censors are failing to contain the flood of online messages about the wreck of a high-speed train outside Wenzhou that killed 40 people and injured 191. Messages total 26 million.
Citizens began the posts right after the accident and in many instances foiled the manipulations of government officials. In Wenzhou, officials ordered lawyers not to accept cases from families of victims without permission. After this came to light on the internet, they were forced to withdraw the order and apologize. Railway workers who had buried the first car of the oncoming train were forced to unearth it and take it to Wenzhou for an analysis. -db
From The New York Times, July 28, 2011, by Michael Wines and Sharon LaFraniere with additional reporting by Jonathan Ansfield and research from Adam Century, Li Mia, Li Bibo and Edy Yin.