【正文】 。s governments at or above the county level shall, together with the departments concerned at the corresponding level, work out plans for protecting against and mitigating earthquake disasters on the basis of the prediction of the possible earthquake situation and earthquake disasters and put them into effect upon approval of the people39。 (2) buildings and structures which may induce serious secondary disasters。s government at or above the county level authorized by the said department under the State Council and take the necessary measures as required by the State Council before it may start building, expanding or rebuilding the project. Article 16 The State adopts the practice of unified release of earthquake prediction. Shortterm and imminent earthquake prediction shall be released by the people39。s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for formulating plans of earthquake monitoring and prediction for their own administrative areas in accordance with the national plans of earthquake monitoring and prediction and making arrangements for their implementation respectively. Article 11 The petent administrative department for seismic work under the State Council shall, on the basis of the tendency of seismicity, submit suggestions on delimiting key areas for earthquake surveillance and protection to the State Council for approval. The administrative departments or institutions for seismic work under the people39。s governments, join efforts and closely cooperate with each other, while acting in accordance with the division of their functions and duties, to make a success of the work for protection against and mitigation of earthquake disasters within their own administrative areas. Article 8 All units and individuals are obligated to take part in protecting against and mitigating earthquake disasters in accordance with law. The Chinese People39。s lives and property and the smooth progress of the socialist drive. Article 2 This Law shall be applicable to earthquake monitoring and prediction, protection against earthquake disasters, measures for earthquake emergencies, postearthquake relief and reconstruction, etc. which are carried out within the territory of the People39。 Law of the People39。s Republic of China on December 29, 1997) Contents Chapter I General Provisions Chapter II Earthquake Monitoring and Prediction Chapter III Protection Against Earthquake Disasters Chapter IV Measures for Earthquake Emergencies Chapter V Postearthquake Relief and Reconstruction Chapter VI Legal Liability Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 This Law is enacted in order to protect against and mitigate earthquake disasters, ensure the safety of the people39。s governments at or above the county level shall, under the leadership of the said people39。s Militia shall carry out the tasks of protecting against and mitigating earthquake disasters assigned to them by the State. Chapter II Earthquake Monitoring and Prediction Article 9 The State strengthens the work of earthquake monitoring and prediction, encourages and gives aid to scientific and technological research in earthquake monitoring and prediction in order to promote such monitoring and prediction gradually. Article 10 The petent administrative department for seismic work under the State Council shall be responsible for formulating national plans of earthquake monitoring and prediction and making arrangements for their implementation. The administrative departments for seismic work under the people39。s government at or above the county level. Article 14 The State protects the facilities for earthquake monitoring and the environment for seismicity observation in accordance with law. No unit or individual may jeopardize such facilities or environment. The area of the environment for seismicity observation shall be delimited for protection in conformity with the requirement that there be no disturbance sources in the neighborhood that affect the operating efficiency of the earthquake monitoring facilities. The facilities for earthquake monitoring mentioned in this Law refers to the monitoring facilities, equipment, instruments used at the earthquake monitoring stations and other such facilities, equipment and instruments provided in accordance with the regulations of the petent administrative department for seismic work under the State Council. Article 15 In building, expanding or rebuilding a project, attention shall be paid to avoiding jeopardizing the facilities for earthquake monitoring and the environment for seiemicity observation. Where it is truly impossible to avoid it, the unit concerned shall obtain approval of the petent administrative department for seismic work under the State Council or the administrative department or institution for seismic work under the local people39。 they may not spread their predictions to the public without authorization. Chapter III Protection Against Earthquake Disasters Article 17 The projects built, expanded or rebuilt shall meet the requirements for seismic resistance. Construction projects other than the ones mentioned in paragraph 3 of this Article shall be fortified