The First, 30 May 2008

The First features a striking photo from Tangjiashan on the front page today: local farmers have written out a distress signal in the middle of a field.

Water levels continue to rise in lakes created by landslides triggered by the recent earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, but impassable roadways have hampered the rescue effort, forcing supplies to be brought in by helicopter.

The paper's top headline announces that the country will launch an investigation of school buildings that collapsed during the earthquake; if results reveal that shoddy construction was a factor, those responsible will dealt with severely. See the China Daily story for more information.

Also involved in the ongoing rescue effort are celebrities from Hong Kong and the mainland, who traveled to the disaster area this week to provide encouragement to quake-affected residents and rescue workers. Shown in the photo at the bottom of the page is superstar Andy Lau personally delivering a meal to an old woman.

The PSA at the bottom of the page announces that all revenue from newsstand sales of The First, from 12 May through the end of this year, will be donated to earthquake relief.