China: Earthquake Threatens More Damage
13 May 2008 Already reaching a death toll near 15,000 and burying thousands more in rubble, the disastrous earthquake that hit China now poses threats to dams that could lead to major floods.
Officials warned of danger downstream from broken rivers and dams that are near their breaking points, according to an article on Reuters. The 7.9 magnitude quake destroyed many buildings and buried as many as 25,000 people under the collapsed buildings.
Authorities warned that dams could burst, mudslides could come if the rains continue, and landslides have blocked the flow of two rivers in northern Qingchuan county, forming a huge lake in a region where 1,000 have already died and 700 are buried.
The quake also stopped a river in the Mianzhu region, prompting officials to evacuate residents and drain dams. Industrial production growth showed China’s busy factories moving down a gear and economists said output growth could fade in coming months, partly due to the impact of the Sichuan quake.
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