QUAKE LAKES: The Chinese government plans to evacuate 1.3 million people if the Tangjiashan "quake lake" overflows its banks and floods nearby towns.

About 600 military soldiers and engineers work around the clock to divert the lake before it floods. Aftershocks continued this week, in the 4.4- to 6.0-magnitude range, destroying another 420,000 houses in eastern Sichuan and western Shaanxi provinces.

Sichuan Earthquake: Quick Facts

Aftershocks Continue

China uses its own seismic measurements, which are slightly different than the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS). For instance, USGS said the original May 12 quake registered at 7.9, whereas the China National Seismic Network registered it at 8.0.

Sichuan province experienced nearly 8,000 aftershocks since the original earthquake. The USGS recorded the following aftershocks this past week:

The May 27 aftershocks injured more than 60 people and destroyed 420,000 houses in eastern Sichuan and western Shaanxi provinces.

Quake Lake Threatens to Flood 33 Towns

Throughout Sichuan province, 35 large lakes formed after the May 12 earthquake when landslides blocked rivers. Some of these lakes could overflow their banks and flood nearby towns.

One such "quake lake" formed on the Jianjiang River outside of Beichuan County. Called the Tangjiashan lake, it threatens to flood 33 townships, including Mianyang where 5.2 million people had lived prior to the earthquake.

Residents Practice Evacuation Drills

The government has already relocated 158,000 people from 169 towns in the area of the lake. Soldiers ran practice evacuations with remaining residents in case the lake bursts its banks. If that happens, people will have a four-hour window to safely vacate their homes.

Tan Li, Mianyang party secretary, outlined the city's emergency evacuation plans:

• Run repeated drills with residents so they know what to do
• Keep residents informed about the lake's status so they know what to expect
• Outline evacuation routes so residents know how to leave the city
• Provide directions to safe areas and temporary shelters so residents know where to go
• Send in soldiers and police to assist residents during the evacuation, going house to house if necessary to make sure everyone knows about the emergency

Military Working to Divert Tangjiashan Lake

Meanwhile, about 600 soldiers and military engineers are digging a channel to divert water out of the Tangjiashan lake before it floods. They're using 29 excavators and bulldozers. They hope to finish in the next week, but forecasted rains may slow them down.

Because of blocked roads, the lake can only be reached by air or foot. Decent weather yesterday made it possible for heavy equipment such as bulldozers to be airlifted to the lake to help workers clear debris and cut a channel. Mianyang quake relief headquarters officials said the channel should be finished by June 5.

Original Story

Earthquake in China Kills More than 60,000 (update 6)

Copyright © 2009 Informify

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Sources

Amid race to drain Chinese quake lake, emergency plans proceed (China View, 5/28/08)

China Moves 80,000 People; Aftershocks Hit Quake Area (Update2) (Bloomberg, 5/28/08)

Question for Readers:

Do you think it's feasible to evacuate 1.3 million people safely if the Tangjiashan quake lake overflows?