RFI - Thousands evacuated from flood prone areas affected by earthquake

Thousands evacuated from flood prone areas affected by earthquake

Article published on the 2008-05-27 Latest update 2008-05-28 08:26 TU

A aerial view of the Tangjiashan "quake lake", 26 May 2008
photo:reuters/xinhua/zhu wei

The official death toll from China's earthquake has risen to 67,000 while thousands more survivors are prey to serious flooding and are being evacuated from their homes. Water-levels have risen dangerously in a river dammed by mudslides caused by the earthquake two weeks ago.

Around 70,000 people have been evacuated from Beichuan County to prevent them from suffering a possible second trauma after the huge earthquake of two weeks ago. A lake has formed caused by landslides that blocked the Jian river. The authorities fear that the "lake" could overflow and surge downstream.

The accumulation of water on the River Jian is one of 35 similar formations said to be at risk of spilling over. About 1.3 million people usually live in the danger zone. Troops armed are trying to blast channels through the debris blocking the river to reduce the level of the lake. It's estimated that there are 130 million cubic metres of water in it.

Forecasts of further rain threaten to make the operation and life for locals living in makeshift camps near their collapsed homes, more difficult. The government said last week that just over 5.4 million people lost their homes. Many now live in tents or hastily erected units in temporary camps, but an untold number are still living without any shelter at all.

A strong aftershock measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale rattled the area and was felt in the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu. This was followed soon after by another aftershock measuring 5.7 in neighbouring Shaanxi province. The aftershocks are making relief operations more of a struggle in a disaster zone the same size as South Korea.

On the other side of the country, and further north, in the capital Beijing, cabinet spokesman Guo Weimin said the confirmed death toll is 67,183, and a further 20,790 people are missing.