Wang Lihong lived in the neighbourhood called Harbor City, one of the residential areas nearest to the blast site. She returned home for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, one week following the devastating explosions.
Everything is ruined. There are no doors or windows inside the apartment and the floor is covered in broken glass.
"I did't bring anything with me when the blast happened. The apartment I paid over 2 million yuan for (310,000 U.S dollars )is now in pieces. I could afford this apartment only after almost a lifetime of working. No one can accept this cruel reality. But now I have to take my belongings and think how to deal with this situation later. "
There have been several burglaries since the explosions but the Armed Police have now strengthened patrols in the area.
Wang says all the cash she left at home was still there.
Environmental concerns have also been a concern for those who live in the area. Some people have reported finding what looks like chemical powder in the neighbourhood.
Bao Jingling is reminding people they should not handle chemicals by themselves.
"According to our knowledge, there are still some unexploded chemicals left near the buildings, blown inside by the blast. So people should not touch or sprinkle water on those powders. They have to be collected by experts. Once they are determined to be hazardous substances, they have to be sent to the Hazardous Waste Center."
Right now, the most important thing for all the residents is compensation for the damages done to their property.
Zhang Yong, the district director of Binhai New Area, says they need a comprehensive compensation plan since the damage and loss made to each household vary hugely.
"First, the government will organize qualified intermediary agencies to assess the safety level of the buildings. Second, every decision made by government should be accorded by the assessment made by the public appraisal firm. Transparent, fair and just are our three principles to protect people's interests. "
Fitch Ratings, one of the three nationally recognized American institutions says insurance losses from the explosions could be in a range between 6.4 billion to 9.6 billion yuan (1 billion to 1.5 billion U.S dollars.)
For CRI, I'm Xyee.
