20100813 Rain stymies rescue work in devastated Gansu town

Rain stymies rescue work in devastated Gansu town

BATTLING THE ELEMENTS: Troops were using excavators and explosives to clear blockages in the river and drain a barrier lake that could bring more destruction to Zhouqu

AFP , ZHOUQU, CHINA
Friday, Aug 13, 2010, Page 4

A woman cries among the rubble as rescuers take a break after the massive landslide in Zhouqu, Gansu Province, China, on Wednesday.

PHOTO: AFP

Heavy rains yesterday compounded the misery of a Chinese town devastated by mudslides that have killed more than 1,100, with new floods leaving hundreds missing and the stench of death pervasive.

Thousands of soldiers and rescuers at the scene were battling to clean up roads blocked by cascades of mud and sludge unleashed by storms overnight, complicating the task of getting food, water and medicine to those in need.

So far, 1,117 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster in Zhouqu, a town nestled in the mountains of Gansu Province in China’s northwest.

Another 627 residents went missing at the weekend, with three more overnight when six houses were swept away in the new downpours, state media said.

“The rain has had an impact on rescue work. It’s hindering the distribution of drinking water,” said Han Huiping, a 25-year-old firefighter from a nearby town working on the relief effort. “We’re worried.”

Soldiers and residents said that heavy rains fell for about four hours overnight, turning one of the main streets in Zhouqu into a small river and flooding army tents on the roadside leading into the disaster zone.

At temporary shelters at two schools in Zhouqu, rain soaked straw mats and carpets, leading survivors to spend the night in the hallways, Xinhua news agency reported.

As rain fell intermittently yesterday, workers used diggers to clear the massive avalanche of mud and rocks that split the town in two at the weekend. The peaks surrounding the town were shrouded in dark clouds.

The shortest route into Zhouqu from the provincial capital Lanzhou, mainly being used by relief crews, was blocked, Xinhua said.

The bad weather was expected to continue at least through today.

Troops were using excavators and explosives to clear blockages in the river and drain a barrier lake created by the rubble that, if it were to burst, could bring further destruction to areas already leveled by the torrent of mud.

Officials insisted the risk had been minimized. Provincial authorities have nevertheless evacuated areas near the lake, Xinhua said.

Fears of an outbreak of disease mounted, with corpses unclaimed and residents living in the rough without proper sanitary conditions. Army crews in chemical suits repeatedly sprayed disinfectant in the area.

About 800 medical workers — also concerned that high summer temperatures could affect the precarious public health situation — have been dispatched to the scene, state media said.

Tonnes of garlic and Sichuan pepper, which some believe to be helpful in the prevention of certain ailments, have been sent to Zhouqu, state media said.

Doctors were encouraging relatives to cremate the remains of their loved ones as soon as possible to prevent health problems, but traditional burials are preferred in the area with a population that is one-third Tibetan.