Society

Rescuers reach 10 people stranded by SW China landslides

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-15 14:53

CHENGDU - Ten people who were declared missing in floods and landslides in Wenchuan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, have been found alive, local authorities said Sunday.

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The 10 residents of a remote community were cut off from outside contact after rain triggered floods and landslides Friday ravaged Wenchuan, the epicenter of a devastating earthquake in May 2008.

Rescuers made contact with them early Sunday, a county government spokesman said.

The local government and their families lost contact with them after landslides damaged transport and communication links, but rescuers managed to partially unblock a road and reach them, he said.

Rescuers and local residents are still searching for 31 other people reported missing, he said.

No deaths have been reported in the county.

Two lakes were formed by landslide debris on the Minjiang River, a branch of the Yangtze River, in Yingxiu Township, of Wenchuan County. The lakes each contain about 4 million cubic meters of water.

The lakes have inundated roads and homes in the neighboring villages of Maojiawan and Dongjienao.

The county government has arranged the evacuation of more than 8,000 people to temporary shelters, while armed police and local rescuers work to release the barrier lake water.

In Sichuan, floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains this week have killed at least 11 people.

On May 12, 2008, an 8-magnitude earthquake hit Wenchuan, leaving 87,000 dead or missing.