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Relief work makes striking achievements
Source: CCTV.com | 05-15-2008 11:03

As rescuers pull at tangled chunks of buildings and peer into crevices for signs of life amid the devastation, relief work has made some striking achievements.

China’s air force airdropped disaster relief goods to Wenchuan county, Maoxian, Lixian and other quake-hit regions. 200 soldiers from Aba prefecture have reached the epicenter. Another 27-member medical team is on its way. In addition, a 30-member medical team reached Wenchuan by helicopter.

By 12 noon, 3 helicopters loaded with relief goods had landed in Wenchuan. They also evacuated the first batch of 47 injured to the Sichuan provincial capital, Chengdu. Cell phone equipment was also airdropped into Wenchuan.

Military sources said a small base station will be set up, but did not elaborate. Seven PLA helicopters had delivered 12.8 tons of relief goods to Wenchuan and its neighboring counties as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

In Yingxiu town, about 200 soldiers have taken on rescue work. A senior official from Aba says the situation in Yingxiu is severe. Only 2,000 of the town’s population of 10,000 have survived.

The road from Dujiangyan to Yingxiu has collapsed. Aftershocks have made communication extremely difficult. The road repair is still 42 kilometers from the village.

The situation in 20 towns in Beichuan County is not yet known. Urgent rescue work is continuing, but rainy has made operations more difficult.

Qingchuan County in Guangyuan City is just 300 kilometers away from the epicenter in Wenchuan, and was badly affected by the earthquake. More than 800 people are believed have to died, and more than 5,000 people are injured. Another 300 are still buried. Over 90 children are trapped under a collapsed school dormitory. It’s not known if any of them are still alive.

9,000 people who were rescued in Beichuan County have been taken to Jiujiang Stadium in Mianyang. A temporary rescue center is set up in the city. The victims were separated into different groups, and every group has its own staff and volunteers to offer comfort and help. Electricity meanwhile is back on the first ring road in Mianyang city. But the roads of other counties have not yet been cleared, making it difficult for rescuers to reach.

At team of 50 armed police has arrived in Maoxian earlier on Thursday. 650 more are on the way. 100 paratroopers have arrived in Maoxian on Wednesday afternoon. Officials say although many houses collapsed, the number of causalities is actually less than expected.

The air force has dropped five tons of disaster relief materials, including mineral water, milk and instant noodles, into Mianzhu county. 90 percent of the houses in three towns of the county collapsed, and the river was also blocked by debris. 800 troops have arrived in Mianzhu for rescue work.

http://www.cctv.com/english/20080515/103905.shtml

THIS GOES WITH POST 167 (SONG’s RESCUE)

Magical moments after earthquake

2008-05-15 11:47:52

BEIJING, May 15 — Dujiangyan and Beichuan have become synonymous with death and destruction after being ravaged by the earthquake which struck Sichuan province on Monday.

But nearly two days later - and amid the despair - the two places had reason to celebrate yesterday.

In Dujiangyan city, exhausted rescuers and residents cheered when they pulled an eight-month-pregnant woman and her mother alive from the rubble of their home 50 hours after they were buried.

And in Beichuan County, a 3-year-old girl who was buried under the debris for 40 hours - with the bodies of her parents shielding her - was miraculously rescued.

Rescue officials in Dujiangyan had been able to speak to the pregnant Zhang Xiaoyan but had to proceed slowly in trying to dig her out for fear that the rubble above her would shift and collapse onto her.

Stricken relatives watched as firemen plucked Zhang, 34, and her mother from the remains of their six-story apartment block.

The two were then rushed to hospital.

“We are very happy. We have been standing here shouting for two days,” said Pan Jianjun, a relative. “We are so grateful to the rescuers and the government.”

Sun Guoli, the fire chief of nearby Chengdu, the provincial capital, said as she watched Zhang being taken away in an ambulance: “It is very moving. It’s a miracle brought about by us all working together It’s a miracle of life.”

Sun was at the scene for the entire duration of the 50-hour rescue operation.

Zhang and her mother were trapped about 6 m high in a pile of concrete slabs and other debris after their building was damaged.

Both looked shaken but not seriously injured when they were pulled out. They had been given water during the whole time and rescue workers were able to talk to them.

“We were told by engineers that the building was very dangerous and highly unstable so the rescue operation was very risky. But it shows how much value we put on saving lives,” Sun said.

In Dujiangyan, more than 1,000 students and teachers from Juyuan Middle School were buried when the building collapsed on Monday. So far more than 60 have been confirmed dead. The total death toll in the city was not available.

In Beichuan county, the parents did not give up on their daughter even as they died.

Song Xinyi, who was buried under the debris of a collapsed building for 40 hours - with the bodies of her parents shielding and protecting her - was miraculously rescued.

Song was severely injured in her legs and was rushed to hospital after she was pulled out of the rubble at 9:40 am.

Witnesses attributed her survival to her parents covering her when their home caved in.

Despite deep wounds on her forehead, Song could talk, and told rescuers her name.

Premier Wen Jiabao, who visited Beichuan yesterday morning, consoled her before she was carried onto an ambulance.

Rescuers found Song at 8 am on Tuesday, but were unable to reach her right away. Her head and shoulders were visible but her legs were buried under her parents’ bodies, and they feared any move could cause further injury.

They gave her food and milk, and sheltered her from the heavy rain as they cleared the ruins to approach her.

Early yesterday, a group of rescuers from Liaoning province gingerly cleared the wreckage while others supported the ramshackle wall with chunks of wood.

The crowd waiting anxiously celebrated Song’s survival but also grieved for her parents who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Up to 5,000 people have been confirmed dead in the county.

(Source: China Daily)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/15/content_8176167.htm