Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW
China
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An aerial photo taken on May 28, 2008
shows a landslide near the Tangjiashan earthquake-induced lake near
Beichuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The
earthquake-induced lake is at risk of bursting and threatens thousands of
people downstream. Some 30 excavators are working non-stop to dig a
diversion channel to drain the lake, which is expected to complete within
5 to 7 days if weather permits. A large number of residents in Mianyang
City are prepared to evacuate.(Xinhua/Li Gang)
Photo
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3rd Ld: Earthquake relief workers being
evacuated from Tangjiashan lake
MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The first group of 15 earthquake relief workers handling the Tangjiashan quake-formed lake in China's Sichuan Province boarded a helicopter at 8:35 a.m. Saturday and were evacuated from the dam site.
The evacuees are mainly members of the water and electricity section of the People's Armed Police Force. They headed for the Nanjiao Military Airport in Mianyang City for rest, a Xinhua reporter said at the site.
The evacuation began after a light drizzle ended around 8 a.m., the reporter said.
A total of 350 relief workers were expected to leave the swelling quake-induced Tangjiashan Lake on Saturday. Others were required to leave by Sunday noon. Some will take the helicopter and some will walk eight km to Wenjiating, Leigu Town, Beichuan County.
More than 600 armed police were working at the site in the past few days.
"We prefer the airlift if weather permits. If the weather turnsbad, we will walk out tomorrow morning." said Yue Xi, deputy chiefof the water and electricity section of the People's Armed Police Force.
It takes 40 minutes to reach the airport in Mianyang and six to seven hours by foot. Evacuees have to cross two mountains if they choose to walk out, Yue said.
Currently, two army air force brigades and two Mig-26 were airlifting relief workers and equipment, including drilling machines and oil tanks, he said.
All the oil will be taken away to avoid environmental pollution, he added.
A total of 197,477 people were evacuated to safe ground as of 8a.m. Saturday in line with an emergency plan, an official with the quake relief headquarters of Mianyang City said.
Tan Li, Communist Party chief of Mianyang and head of Mianyang City Quake Control and Relief Headquarters, on Friday renewed an order that 1.3 million people living downstream from Tangjiashan must be evacuated to higher grounds demarcated by the government.
At 4 p.m. Thursday, Tan issued a No. 1 order demanding that about 200,000 people living downstream from Tangjiashan in the main urban districts of Mianyang should start evacuation by 8 a.m. Saturday. The evacuation must be completed by 8 a.m. Sunday.
Two other plans require the relocation of 1.2 million people if the half of the lake volume was released, or 1.3 million if the barrier of the quake lake fully opened.
The major project of a sluice -- an irregular cube designed to discharge flooded water -- from the Tangjiashan Lake has been completed. It is expected to discharge flood water between June 1 to June 3, Yue said.
Mass evacuation underway for fear of
"lake quake" burst
MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Up to 1.3
million people in southwest China's Sichuan Province have been ordered to
evacuate to higher grounds for fear of a major "quake lake" burst as a result of
flooding and strong aftershocks.
Tan Li, Party Secretary of Mianyang City and chief of
Mianyang City Quake Control and Relief Headquarters, on Friday renewed an order
that 1.3 million people living downstream from Tangjiashan, a swelling
quake-induced lake, must evacuate to higher grounds demarcated by government
departments. Full story
Soldiers work non-stop to drain "quake
lake" as thousands prepare to evacuate
TANGJIASHAN, Sichuan, May 29 (Xinhua) -- More than 600
rescuers worked through heavy rain on Thursday to dig a diversion channel on one
of the most dangerous lakes in China's quake-hit Sichuan Province. Full story
China preparing to drain swelling
quake lake
MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers are
preparing to dynamite the barrier of a swelling quake lake, which has posed a
new threat after a devastating 8.0-magnitude temblor ravaged southwest China's
Sichuan Province. Full story
Armed police brigade arrive at major
quake lake in Sichuan
TANGJIASHAN, Sichuan, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A group of armed
policemen arrived on foot at the Tangjiashan quake lake in southwest China's
Sichuan Province around 00:35 a.m. Monday and immediately began work to defuse
the danger of a major flooding.Full story
Rescuers hiking to large Sichuan quake
lake as flood alarm grows
MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 25 (Xinhua) -- About 1,800 armed
police officers and People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were hiking on
Sunday toward an expanding "quake lake" in southwest Sichuan Province, hoping to
blast away its landslide barrier before it bursts and causes a flood.Full story
