Three Gorges Probe
November 23, 2007
Chinese officials have confirmed that a bus carrying as many as 27 people has been discovered buried in a landslide that occurred earlier this week.
The landslide occurred in Hubei province’s Badong County, a hilly area along the 660-kilometre reservoir where landslides have become more frequent since the Three Gorges dam’s reservoir was filled to 156 metres.
Initial reports from Xinhua news agency stated that only one person had died and a further three were trapped by the landslide. The men were working on scaffolding next to a tunnel, beside a half-completed railway line along the Three Gorges reservoir
at the time of the accident.
In September, senior officials warned of environmental “catastrophe” unless measures were taken to control landslides, erosion and water pollution in the reservoir area. Since then officials have been backpedalling, saying the environmental problems are not that serious and the government has it under control.
The same day the landslide hit Badong County, the Three Gorges Project Committee announced new measures to reduce the project’s environmental impact.
Categories: Dams and Landslides, Three Gorges Probe
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
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Probe Media
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