Fighting the Devastating Mud-Stone Flow in Yiong

MEI ZHENGWEI

MUD-STONE FLOW HITS YIANG

At 20:00 on the evening of April 9, 2000, a horrible roar broke the night silence in Yiong. A devastating landslide had occurred in Zhamolong Gully of Gonglharongbabo Mountain, Tibet. In a moment, a giant dam measuring 2,500 meters long, 2,500 meters wide and 60 meters high was naturally formed to block the Yiong Zangbo River and disrupt the route to Yiong, Bagyai, the Yiong Tea Plantation, the Floor Factory and the Stone Slabs Factory. Overnight the Yiong Co Lake on the upper reaches of the Yiong Zangbo River lost an outlet, while water kept flowing into the lake from the river. Large tracts of farmland, grassland and tea plantations were underwater; more than the lives of 4,000 people were threatened, and 1,000 others faced the possibility of being flooded, too. By the 11th day, 14.4 hectares of farmland, 56 hectares of grasslands land and 4 hectares of tea plantations were inundated, and the power station was forced to suspend operation. Economic losses added up to 140 million Yuan. Whats more, the water level went up at a rate of 0.5-0.6 meters per night. Water, which is so important to the mankind, had suddenly become a scourge....

April 9. When the mud-stone flow hit the Yiong Co Lake area on the evening of April 9, 2000, leaders of the Central Government stayed overnight. "Do everything possible to ensure the lives of the local people, and minimize the losses", was the order from the State Council.

April 12. On the third day after the disaster, a group of 24 people headed by Gyibo, Vice-Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, reached the spot. They brought urgently needed materials and care from the Government. The government of the Nyingchi Prefecture also sent a work group to the disaster-stricken area, bringing food, medicine, quilts, clothes and tents.

April 18. A group of 11 experts, headed by Liu Ning, chief engineer of the Yangtze River Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, went to Yiong for scientific survey. They later came to the conclusion that the landslide was the most serious in more than 100 years.

April 24. Experts hailing from various quarters gathered in Lhasa. They decided to dig a diversion canal to reduce the water level, move people out of the disaster-stricken area, and protect major facilities to reduce losses. A rescue headquarters was formed comprising Tibetan autonomous regional government leaders, including the commander-in-chief of the PLA Tibet Military Command, and Nyingchi prefectural leaders. Two sub-headquarters were formed in charge of the resettlement of local residents, removal of major facilities and construction of water diversion projects. Under the sub-headquarters were six work groups. Quickly, a 10-km makeshift highway and 28 km of other roads were built. Steamboats were used for the transportation of materials sufficient for local needs for three months. People in the disaster-stricken area were resettled. Displaced students were sent to schools in Nyingchi County and Bome County. However, the water level kept rising!

April 26. Yang Chuantang, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, inspected the rescuer work.

May 10. There were 768 million cubic meters of water in the lake, with the water surface rising to 15.48 meters. It was decided that a major section of the diversion canal should be dug by May 20. However, remnants of the mud-stone flow kept coming down to trouble the work.

May 22. Vice-Chairman Yang crossed Yiong Co Lake, and inspected Yiong Township, showing care and concern for the people there.

June 8. More than 300 million cubic meters of mud and stone were removed and a canal was dug to divert water to the Yarlung Zangbo River via the Yiong Zangbo River and the Parlung Zangbo River.

June 10. At 20:00, however, the lake water kept rising, and spilt over the banks of the diversion canal. Local people were asked to leave immediately.

June 11. Early in the morning, news came that the flood had destroyed many bridges and facilities in the Yiong Co Lake area, Yiong Zangbo River, Parlung Zangbo River and the lower reaches of Yarlung Zangbo River. Rescue workers, including PLA soldiers and armed police, worked mightily to save the local people. For more than two months, they never had a good nights sleep. In the teeth of the devastating floods, they have ensured the safety of local people and rescued much of their properties.