Villagers evacuated after ground sinking in south China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-20 12:30

GUANGZHOU -- Nearly 400 villagers were evacuated after a ground cave-in that affected 73 houses in south China's Guangdong Province, local officials said Saturday.

Houses and residential buildings in Xiamao Village in Baiyun District of Guangzhou, the provincial capital, began to slope at about 4:15 p.m. Friday, forcing 381 people to escape, according to Long Xin'an, an official with the district emergency office.

The ground sinking affected an area of about 5,000 square meters, where one building collapsed, 11 houses cracked and 61 others were under safety monitoring.

Among those affected, 334 were migrant residents and 47 were natives. They were seeking shelter in the conference hall and an entertainment center under organization of the village committee.

The committee officials said 134 of them may have to stay overnight and others would be able to return home.

No one was injured as the buildings were tilting slowly and people had time to evacuate.

The cave-in left a huge hole measuring three meters in diameter, Guangzhou-based Xinxi Times cited a witness surnamed Chen as saying. It reported earlier that "several thousands of people" were evacuated.

Initial investigation indicated that the sinking was caused by piling work of a real estate project that triggered an underground limestone cave.

The sinking area remained cordoned off as of Saturday noon.