Mud wave death toll soars

Mud wave death toll soars – Associated Press (The Standard - 11/9/08)

Rescuers shoveled and hammered at debris yesterday in a search for survivors buried under sludge, mud and mining waste after a landslide in the north killed at least 128 people. But the chances of finding more survivors were slim.

The landslide in Shanxi’s Xiangfen county on Monday also injured 35 and left an unknown number buried.

A low-rise office building, a market and some houses were knocked down by a surge of mud and mining waste that formed a wall three stories high and 600 meters wide, according to local reports.

The death toll stood at 128 last night, China Central Television reported.

Local government official Lian Zhendong said rescuers had searched through 70 percent of the rubble, and hopes were dim.

“There were survivors on the first day and on the second day, but from day three it’s very likely that anyone we find will be dead.” said the head of the propaganda department of Xiangfen county. She said more than 2,000 police, firefighters and villagers were searching, but “there is mud everywhere. It is very hard for machines to drive through the mud.” Also hampering the search were rough terrain, poor telecommunications and heavy rain that halted only yesterday.

A preliminary finding was that the landslide came with the collapse of a dam used as a retaining wall to enclose tailings from an iron ore mine. “It is an illegal company that was using the abandoned dump to get rid of its production waste,” said Wang Dexue, deputy head of the State Administration of Work Safety.

Heavy rain caused the already overloaded dump to breach, Wang said.

Nine people suspected of being responsible were detained and top local officials fired for negligence.


2. Summary

This article is about a landslide in Shanxi’s Xiangfen, China. This accident was killed at least 128 people, injured 35 and left an unknown number under the mud. Some rescuers, who are more than 2,000 police, firefighters and villagers, searched so hard because there is mud everywhere. It is very hard for machines to drive through the mud. A host of houses were knocked down by the mud and mining waste that made lots of people homeless. And the landslide happened thanks to the heavy rain and production waste which the illegal company got rid of it to dumping ground. Heavy rain made the overloaded dump to breach and caused the landslide. There are nine people were detained and top local officials were fired.

3. Feedback

I was so depressed and resentful after reading this article. Around 128 people were killed in the landslide. Although it is not an extensive death toll in this cause, this accident could be avoided actually. The illegal company left overloaded production waste in dumping ground. The dump was breached and the survivors were buried under mud as well as mining waste that made the rescue was changed more difficult. Even though the irresponsible officials were detained and fired, the innocent people were dead. They cannot celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with their family members forever. It is a heartbreaking thing for them. For me, I was also very sorrowful to see the survivors’ faces and tears through the picture on the newspaper. On the other hand, I deem the government should focus on illegal company why which can dump the production waste in disorder. Is it the problem of monitor? It is a necessity of more discussions and consideration on waste discard.