China Drains Earthquake Lake

(07 Jun 08 - RV) The draining of an earthquake-formed lake in China’s Sichuan province began today in a controlled diversion that alleviated the risk of flooding.

The potential collapse of the lake had previously threatened to flood an area that is home to one million people and drove authorities to evacuate more than 250,000 to higher ground.

Engineers are monitoring bridges and river banks downstream to see if they would hold under the rush of water while work crews attempt to build a secondary channel to improve the flow.

Although the risk has tapered, hundreds of thousands are still displaced by the May 12 earthquake.

Father Bernardo Cervellera is the Director of Asia News. He told us about the hardships that the refugees still face in the Sichuan province.