Engineers to dig channels to drain Tangjiashan barrier lake

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 05-27-2008 13:53

In Mianyang, one of the quake-struck cities, a swelling lake caused by the tremor two weeks ago is posing grave danger for the local population.

Since Monday, military personnel have been airdropping engineering machines onto the barrier of the lake, the largest of its kind in the region.

Since Monday, military personnel have been airdropping engineering machines onto the barrier of the lake, the largest of its kind in the region.

Over the next few days, engineers are expected to dig a diverting channel to prevent a major flood. CCTV reporter Wang Xin witnessed how the world's largest helicopter has been put to use for this unique mission.

In Beichuan county, you can be sure there is no other place for this giant bird to land safely.

The team's 17 members are all engineering experts from the armed police force. And they were to make sure that the machines are tightly fastened to these cables fixed to the chopper.

These vehicles are massed up nationwide and sent here within the shortest time possible.

Cutting the power line turned out more difficult than expected and could not be done for the day, and the pilots decided to go ahead nonetheless, because they know the swelling barrier lake must be taken care of immediately.

And it was time to take off. Nothing short of a miracle.

By the end of the day, fifteen diggers and bulldozers have been transported to the barrier of the quake lake, which is about three kilometers upstream from the Beichuan County.

Over 1,000 military engineers have already arrived at the inaccessible place by blazing trails through bushes. With the equipment, they will dig channels to drain the lake at least 15,000 cubic meters of water per day. More machines are due to arrive in the next few days.

Editor:Zhang Ning