By Xin Dingding (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-21 07:16

Constant aftershocks and landslides had left only one highway open to Wenchuan as of yesterday, the Ministry of Transport said.

Two damaged highways leading to Wenchuan were reopened over the weekend, while a third from the north was under repair, it said.

However, ministry spokesman He Jianzhong said that a landslide had blocked a 44-km section of the highway between Wenchuan and Dujiangyan.

Work teams are clearing the section between Yingxiu and Caopo, and continuing to clear a third road from Maoxian to Wenchuan, He said.

Progress has been slow, but as of Monday just 7 km remained blocked.

The one good road is part of national highway G317 from Lixian to Wenchuan, He said.

Since it reopened on Friday, 1,700 vehicles have used it to carry supplies into Wenchuan.

Beichuan county also remains partly cut off, as repairs have been hindered by lakes formed by the quake, He said.

Dai Dongchang, director of the road department of the transport ministry, said the severe damage to roads was due to the province's terrain.

When the quake hit, road surfaces broke up and landslides created lakes in the river, which overflowed into the craters, he said.

(China Daily 05/21/2008 page8)