Earthquake Precursors: Rewards for Discovery! Guangyuan's New Regulations Unleash the Potential of "Earthquake Sentinels"

Information from the Sichuan Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Education Center, China, dated January 6, 2026.

Frogs came to ground in cold season before Wenchuan Disaster (2008.5.12)

To fully leverage the role of the community-based earthquake monitoring and prevention system in earthquake disaster reduction, to detect macroscopic earthquake anomalies as early as possible, to promptly grasp information on macroscopic earthquake anomalies, and to strive to improve earthquake disaster prevention and emergency response capabilities, thereby minimizing or avoiding losses due to disasters, the Guangyuan Municipal Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Relief Committee Office recently issued the "Guangyuan City Earthquake Macroscopic Anomaly Reporting Reward Measures (Trial)" (hereinafter referred to as the "Reward Measures"), widely mobilizing and leveraging the enthusiasm and initiative of the general public in identifying earthquake macroscopic anomalies.

How are earthquake macroscopic anomalies identified?

Earthquake macroscopic anomalies refer to macroscopic changes that occur before an earthquake, are closely related to the gestation and occurrence of the earthquake, and can be directly detected by human sensory organs, including but not limited to the following:

(I) Animal anomalies. Domestic animals (such as dogs, cats, pigs, chickens, ducks, etc.) exhibit abnormal behaviors such as fear, restlessness, barking, refusing to eat, and running away erratically; aquatic animals (such as fish, frogs, etc.) exhibit behaviors such as thrashing, jumping, floating, and becoming lethargic and immobile; birds exhibit behaviors such as startled flight, crying out, migrating, or unwillingness to return to their nests; burrowing animals (such as rats, snakes, etc.) exhibit abnormal activities such as emerging from their burrows out of season, becoming lethargic, or migrating in groups.

(II) Plant Abnormalities. Plants exhibit out-of-season flowering and fruiting, or sudden withering or abnormal lushness in certain areas.

(III) Groundwater Abnormalities. Water bodies such as wells, springs, rivers, and ponds exhibit sudden rises or falls in water level or temperature, as well as changes such as bubbling, swirling, turbidity, discoloration, and altered taste.

(IV) Geological Abnormalities. New cracks, bulges, collapses, or uplifts appear on the ground; muffled thunder or machine-like noises are heard from underground; unusual lights appear in the sky or on the ground (such as banded or sheet-like lights); smoke, gas, or colored fog with an unusual odor rises from the ground for no apparent reason.

(V) Electromagnetic and Meteorological Anomalies. Regional electromagnetic interference occurs, such as electrical malfunctions or signal interruptions; meteorological elements such as temperature, humidity, wind, and rain undergo drastic changes, or abnormal celestial phenomena appear (such as striped or radial clouds).

If any of the above-mentioned abnormal phenomena that clearly deviate from natural laws are discovered, the public can report them promptly through the "Guangyuan Safety Hazards Snap and Report" WeChat mini-program. After on-site verification by professional technicians organized by the county-level emergency management (earthquake prevention and disaster reduction) department, if it is confirmed to be a first-time discovery and record, it can be identified as a newly added macroscopic anomaly; after further investigation and verification (including post-earthquake review), after ruling out the influence of human factors and other non-earthquake factors, it can be identified as an earthquake macroscopic anomaly.

Within the administrative region of Guangyuan City, the first individual to discover and report a macroscopic anomaly, if verified and confirmed as a newly identified macroscopic anomaly, will be eligible for a reward. Party and government organs, public institutions, and related entrusted or purchased earthquake disaster reduction units and their staff who discover and report earthquake macroscopic anomalies will be recommended by the emergency management (earthquake disaster reduction) department for inclusion in the city's relevant commendation system for work safety (earthquake relief). Their material rewards will be implemented according to the "Regulations on Rewards for Civil Servants" and the "Regulations on Rewards for Staff of Public Institutions," and will not be subject to this reward method.

According to the "Guangyuan Safety Hazard Snapshots Public Version Operation and Management Measures," the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau will promptly pay rewards to individuals reporting "earthquake disaster hazards." For verified newly identified macroscopic anomalies, a reward of 15 yuan will be given to the informant via WeChat red envelope; for earthquake macroscopic anomalies involving threats to public safety or potentially leading to major accidents, an additional reward of 1000 yuan will be given to the informant via bank transfer. (Only the first reporter will be rewarded; rewards will not be given repeatedly.)

Meanwhile, the "Reward Measures" require that the reward for tips be implemented according to the principle of "acceptance, review, and reward at any time." After receiving reports of macroscopic earthquake anomalies from local grassroots organizations or the "12345" government service hotline, county (district) emergency management (earthquake prevention and mitigation) departments are responsible for verifying the authenticity of the macroscopic earthquake anomalies within their jurisdiction and promptly reporting the verification results to the "12345" government service hotline and the municipal emergency management bureau.

If any fraudulent behavior is discovered during the process of rewarding individuals who discover macroscopic earthquake anomalies, their reward or eligibility for selection will be revoked upon verification; any bonuses already received will be recovered, and appropriate action will be taken against the directly responsible persons and relevant personnel according to the specific circumstances.