Society

Man saved 60 hours after landslide

By Peng Yining, Shen Gang and Hu Yinan (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-11 07:11
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"Mudslides are much more devastating than earthquakes," a rescuer in Yueyuan, a riverside village in Zhouqu in which 90 homes were leveled by the disaster, was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency.

"There's only a 1-percent chance that anybody could be found alive here," the rescuer said.

No one was pulled out alive during the days of rescue operations following a landslide that killed at least 74 people in Wulong county of Chongqing municipality in June last year.

Many survivors of the Zhouqu landslide who were moved by the rescuers' perseverance joined the rescue work while others offered whatever food or water they could find.

Liu Tao, a native of Zhouqu county who ran a fruit store with his mother, brought 30 tons of watermelons that remained intact in their store to the rescuers.

"It's a miracle we survived the disaster. We should do something to repay their kindness," he said.

The shopkeeper and his mother woke up and fled from their two-story house just before the landslide destroyed it on Sunday.

Elderly people and children also rushed to collect spring water from the mountains for rescuers after water supplies were cut off.

"All my family members survived the disaster, but it's sad to see the county reduced to ruins," said Yan Xiyun, 12, who hiked at least five times a day between springs and the county seat to transport pails of water.

Donations of cash and supplies also poured in since Monday, but most vehicles could not drive in on the roads submerged in sludge. Villagers and volunteers had to carry supplies at a point about 10 km from the county seat.

"Each trip takes about four hours," said Liu Xiangyue, who distributed supplies at a shelter at Zhouqu No 1 Middle School.

The instant noodles and bottled water they carried were distributed in a few minutes, Liu said.

The Gansu provincial civil affairs government said on Tuesday afternoon that a total of 4,443 tents, 5,000 sleeping bags, 2,500 foldable beds, 21,700 cotton quilts, more than 30,000 cartons of instant noodles and 30,000 cartons of bottled water had been allocated to victims.

The provincial government also said each resident would get a daily allowance of 150 yuan ($22) for 15 days, starting from Tuesday.

For three months, they will receive 10 yuan in cash and 500 grams of grain each day, the government said in a notice on Tuesday.

Families of the deceased will be also given compensation of 8,000 yuan for each death.

Those who were left homeless in the disaster will get 20,000 yuan to rebuild their homes, while those whose homes were damaged will get 4,000 yuan for repairs.

Xinhua and Wang Huazhong contributed to this story.

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