Tuesday, May 27, 2008

In Other News... China gets rocked by aftershocks...

When I think about the fact that I wish I had a babysitter so I could go skiing, a news item like this makes me really, once again, realize how spectacularly lucky I am.

(From NPR News Via Twitter:)
Powerful Aftershocks Rock China; Death Toll Rises

Two more powerful aftershocks hit Sichuan province, China, this afternoon, as the confirmed death toll from the May 12 quake grew to more than 67,000.

Tuesday's aftershocks measured 5.2 and 5.5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Chinese media reported that the tremors caused several hundred thousand additional homes to collapse in the already devastated Qingchuan county.

Meanwhile, further south, another 80,000 people were being evacuated from areas downstream of the newly formed Tangjiashan Lake. Landslides triggered by the earthquake blocked a river, creating the lake where water levels continue to rise daily.

Chinese troops at the lake have plans to detonate explosives in order to drain some of the water. Heavy machinery was also being used to open a channel for diverting water, though the work is not expected to be completed until next week.

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