“…Earthquake survivors living downstream from lakes formed by blocked rivers were being evacuated Friday over fears that aftershocks could loosen the debris and cause flooding…”

Source: AP

Earthquake survivors living downstream from lakes formed by blocked rivers were being evacuated Friday over fears that aftershocks could loosen the debris and cause flooding.

Officials also announced that the known death toll had risen to 55,740 people; another 24,960 are listed as missing.

Nearly three dozen new lakes were formed after the quake threw down debris, which formed barriers across rivers. Those barriers could collapse and cause flooding, so they are being monitored by experts, including some dropped in by parachute, said Zhu Bing, deputy director of the Sichuan water resources bureau. Rain was also was forecast in the region next week.

“In the short term, we don’t think there’s any danger,” Zhu said in Beijing. “But after all, it’s in the disaster area, with aftershocks. If there is a strong aftershock or a strong thunderstorm, there is the danger of collapse.”

Li Chengyun, deputy governor of Sichuan Province, announced plans to rebuild roads and cities within three years as the area copes with the aftermath of the May 12 earthquake that left five million people homeless.

In the tiny town of Bailu, a two-hour drive from the provincial capital, Chengdu, the air was filled Friday with smoke from makeshift brick wood-burning stoves heating woks filled with string beans or rice porridge.

Red banners across the main street in the quake-flattened town said, “There is no difficulty that the heroic Chinese people cannot defeat.” One stretch of road was lined with wooden furniture moved out of collapsed homes, and tents were in great demand.

Many of the town’s banners urged residents to maintain proper hygiene and prevent diseases.

“It’s been a big disaster, but the government has been doing a good job, and I think the rebuilding work can be done in three years,” said Zhang Min, 36, who works for a brick-making company.

Liu Qiang, a teacher at a medical college in Hubei Province who came to help quake victims, said the lack of clean water was causing health problems. “People are developing rashes and wounds are becoming infected because they’re using dirty water,” Liu said. “Colds and fevers are also common.”

Li, the deputy governor, said as many as 9,000 injured people would be moved to other provinces, as the large casualty toll has overwhelmed local hospitals. He said more psychologists were needed to help survivors cope with the tragedy, especially children orphaned by the quake and students who saw classmates killed in collapsed schools.

A 25-member Italian medical team set up a mobile hospital Friday in Mianzhu, where the local hospital has been listing since the earthquake, according to Xinhua, the official news agency.

No survivors have been found in the rubble since Wednesday, but Li said that rescuers had not abandoned the search. “We will not give up on trying to save people,” he said.

Six pandas were moved Friday from the damaged breeding base in Wolong near the epicenter because of food shortages, Xinhua reported.

“There is enough water now, but food is still a major problem. The pandas are in urgent need of bamboo and apples,” Xiong Beirong, an official with the Sichuan provincial forestry bureau, told the agency. Two pandas missing since the quake have not been found.

An environment official said Friday that all nuclear facilities in the quake area were safe, and experts were still trying to secure some 15 “sources” of radiation.

Officials had said earlier that 32 radioactive sources were buried in the quake. But Wu Xiaoqing, deputy minister for environmental protection, said Friday that the number had risen to 50 potential radiation hazards and that 35 had been secured. He gave no specifics on what the remaining items were. Three of the radiation sources were buried out of reach of the authorities, Wu said, and another 12 that are currently inaccessible were being monitored.

The Olympic torch relay ran through Shanghai after a ceremony that began with a minute of silence in People’s Square to honor quake victims.

“Now the Sichuan people are suffering from the earthquake, and we’re lucky to be here,” said Dennis Jin, a native of the province who works with the Shanghai branch of the television maker Sichuan Changhong. “I hope we can all show respect for the Sichuan people, to show we are brave and also show our thanks to the government for their help.”