Rescue & Aid

Lifeline's artery to Yushu unclogged

By Wang Huazhong and Zhang Jin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-19 08:02

BEIJING - Traffic control and repair work are underway to ease congested "lifeline" roads that carry relief materials in and move the injured out of the quake zone in Yushu prefecture of Qinghai province.

By Saturday, the earthquake had injured more than 12,128 people and left about 100,000 people needing to be resettled. However, the only road to Yushu -- No 214 national -- has been overloaded, causing serious traffic congestion, the Ministry of Public Security said over the weekend.

The roads in Yushu have been overloaded with 10 times the usual 3,000 vehicles per day, causing traffic to slow.

The ministry issued a circular on Sunday urging traffic authorities in Qinghai and neighboring provinces to control traffic.

Vehicles heading to the affected prefecture -- other than those organized for shipment -- will be stopped or redirected.

The ministry also asked volunteers or individuals not to drive their own cars to the quake zone.

"Traffic on the national road (connecting Qinghai's capital of Xining city to Yushu) has improved after the control. We have not received any reports about traffic accidents," ministry spokesman Wu Heping said at a press conference on Sunday.

According to Wu, 143 traffic police from Qinghai, 400 police from special units and 300 paramilitary police are smoothing the traffic flow.

China's Vice-Minister of Transport Gao Hongfeng said departments must repair damaged roads and step up inspections of major bridges and roads as soon as possible.

The ministry will dispatch specialist groups to the quake-hit zone over the next few days to assist local authorities in assessing the disaster and necessary reconstruction work.

Local health officials also suggested individuals avoid going to Yushu by themselves. A local Red Cross official said she had seen medical workers flocking to Yushu -- a move she does not support as there are already enough people working there, she said.

About 1,000 rescuers and medical workers from nationwide have rushed to Yushu over the past few days, according to Nima, vice-chairperson of the Qinghai branch of the Red Cross Society of China.

"The enthusiasm of these volunteers is laudable, but I'm worried about their health," she said.

"It's almost certain they will suffer from altitude stress," Nima added.