Up to 400 dams damaged by China quake

CHENGDU, China – Nearly 400 dams were damaged by Monday’s earthquake in China, report the New York Times and CNN. “State media reported that 2,000 soldiers were sent to try to plug “very dangerous” cracks in one, upriver from the hard-hit Sichuan city of Dujiangyan, official media” told the Times.

“The report on the damaged dams was by the National Development and Reform Commission. Most, it said, were small dams. The most seriously harmed appeared to be the Zipingpu Dam, near Dujiangyan. The irrigation system in that area dates to the 3rd century B.C.” (NYTimes)

“The Ministry of Water Resources said that an irrigation system and Dujiangyan City — which has a population of about 630,000 — “would be swamped,” if major problems emerged at the dam, China.org said. … The Zipingpu dam, upriver from Dujiangyan in Sichuan province, was in “great danger,” the Xinhua news agency reported.” (CNN)

Photo Above: The Dujiangyan Irrigation System near Dujiangyan City in China’s Sichuan Province “would be swamped” if the Zipingpu Dam, upriver, fails due to earthquake damage.

photo: J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue

China: Troops race to plug quake-damaged dam – CNN.com

Chinese Soldiers Rush to Bolster Weakened Dams