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A Long Road Ahead

By APTN

The long process of cleaning up from China's earthquake is underway. Help has finally arrived for one isolated town A Long Road Ahead

Published: Fri, May 16, 2008 - 11:15 am Last Updated: Fri, May 16, 2008 - 11:25 am

The isolated town of Yingxiu, the road linking it with the outside world completed destroyed by this week's powerful earthquake, was facing worsening health conditions and shortage of drinking water on Friday.

The only way for rescue workers to reach the town, located around 70 kilometres (42 miles) away from the earthquake epicenter at Wenchuan, is by either crossing the Zipingba reservoir on speedboats, or walking through the rocks that have covered the road after it collapsed.

Soldiers are currently repairing the road, but in the meantime, living conditions are deteriorating for survivors in the town and rescue operations are mainly concerned with the health situation.

"We need to wear masks in the earthquake-stricken area, especially when we get into areas where dead bodies are starting to decay," Wang Denggao, Chief Officer for Earthquake Rescue Operation in Yingxiu Area, told AP Television on Friday.

Yingxiu Town was severely hit by the massive earthquake that broke out in China's central province of Sichuan on Monday.

For local residents, shortage of drinking water is the biggest problem, especially because water tanks are too heavy to carry for women, children and old people who are left in the area.

"The biggest problem for us is the drinking water. There are only old people and children left, and we are not able to carry such heavy tanks of water. There are only women left here and there is no don't have labor force to help us," said Zhai Bo, a Yingxiu resident whose house was destroyed by the earthquake and whose husband got seriously injured.

On Friday, the Sichuan government said the official death toll from the earthquake in the province had risen to 21,500 people.

As search for survivors continued across all the stricken area, soldiers started to deal with burying the dead, in the hope of avoiding the possible spread of disease, as some of the bodies had started to decay in hot weather, local officials said.

At least 82 dead bodies were buried in a hill behind Yingxiu by around 30 People's Liberation Army soldiers on Friday afternoon.

All the dead bodies were wrapped in body bags and placed in line in a trench around five meters (16.4 feet) deep and 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) wide.

Also on Friday afternoon, a strong aftershock sparked landslides near the epicenter of the earthquake in central Sichuan province, again cutting off ravaged areas of central China and burying vehicles the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The number of new casualties there was unknown.

The aftershock was one of the strongest among dozens that have shaken the area.