A channel is being dug to drain the water from a lake created by the quake: more than 300 million cubic metres of water threaten to burst the banks and flood 1.3 million people. Strong new shocks. Many areas remain isolated. The government fears social disorder, if there is not rapid reconstruction.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - More than 150,000 people were evacuated last night from the town of Beichuan, out of fear that the banks of lake Tangjiashan could crumble and release flood waters.  Meanwhile, yesterday evening an aftershock knocked down 420,000 homes and injured at least 63, 6 of them seriously.

The quake on May 12 blocked the river Jianjiang and created a basin of more than 300 million cubic metres of water above the city of Mianyang, which includes the town of Beichuan.  The water continues to rise in the basin, and the pressure it is creating could collapse the bank: yesterday the level was 727 metres, only 24 metres below the lowest rim of the unstable basin.  More than 600 soldiers and workers with bulldozers brought in by air are racing against time to dig a channel (see photo) to drain water, but this will take at least a week.  There are more than 1.3 million people in the area.  The earthquake has created 35 similar lakes, with a volume of water equal to 50,000 Olympic pools.

Yesterday there was a shock of magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale in the county of Qingchuan (Sichuan), and another of magnitude 5.7 in the county of Ningqiang (Shaanxi), confirming the continued danger.

Tents and basic necessities and are still being sent to the millions of people hit by the earthquake, including vaccines to prevent the possible spread of disease because of the poor sanitary conditions and the heat.

Some areas are still isolated, with aid being airlifted in.  For example, it was only yesterday that military trucks reached the city of Gengda, isolated since May 12 and facing a hunger emergency.  Many roads have been destroyed or are impassable, and others could collapse at any moment, while it will take months to restore basic connections.

Yesterday the state council, headed by prime minister Wen Jiabao, discussed both emergency  operations and the reconstruction of buildings and economic activities: entire cities and villages will need to be relocated. Wen emphasised that the threat of disorder must be addressed, since millions of people have lost everything.  Experts say 300 billion yuan (30 billion euros) will be needed to rebuild homes and restore services for 5 million people left homeless, in addition to billions more yuan for general reconstruction.

• China
• earthquake
• aftershocks
• flooding
• emergency
• aid
• assistance
• reconstruction