Chinese military prepare to unblock river following quake
Soldiers are prearing to unblock obstructed rivers in China
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Monday, 26, May 2008 10:39
A river blockage caused by the recent earthquake in China is set to be blown up after rising water levels threatened the safety of townspeople.
Since the earthquake a fortnight ago, several dozen lakes have formed in the tremor-hit Sichuan province as rivers become obstructed with debris, according to the International Herald Tribune (IHT).
This problem exacerbates the situation for rescuers and other recovery efforts with millions still needing shelter.
However, 1,800 military personnel are preparing to explode the debris today and unblock the river in Beichuan county, each using 22 pounds of explosives, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
A similar problem has occurred south of this area in Shuangdian village, where residents estimate the newly-created lake to be rising by about 2.5 yards a day.
"I thought I could go back but I have nothing now," local truck driver Liu Zhongfu was quoted by the IHT as saying. "My village, it's all become a sea."
Aftershocks have caused even more problems for the disaster-stricken areas of China, with the strongest occurring two days ago.
It measured 6.0 on the Richter scale and was the most powerful since the original quake, the US Geological Survey said. The original quake measured 7.8.