According to this New York Times article four bloggers have been arrested for spreading false rumors that the government avoided signs that an earthquake was imminent.
“…officials announced the arrest of four people for spreading quake-related rumors on the Web and said they would be punished, although the officials did not describe the punishment or nature of the rumors.”
One of the so called “signs” was based on an invasion of toads in the town of Mianzhu, two days before the devastating earthquake. Toads are said to bring bad luck in China, but the director of Mianzhu’s forestry bureau said the movement of the toads is part of their normal breeding behavior.
Mike Henry is currently living in China writing a blog on the Beijing Olympics.
