19 July 2010

A new landslide barrier lake in China

Posted by Dave Petley

China is suffering dreadfully from landslides this summer, with reports overnight of at least 20 fatalities in  Langao County in Ankang in Shaanxi, and many more killed by landslides in Sichuan and Shaanxi.  However, the CriEnglish website is tonight reporting on a new barrier lake that has formed in Chongqing, forcing the evacuation of 12,000 people.  The slide is reported to have occurred on the Luojiang River in Chengkou County.  The lake is now reported to have a volume of 15 to 20 million cubic meters of water, and to be
5 square kilometers in area and 18-meters deep!  The report also suggests that the teams dispatched to deal with the problem are being slowed by the dreadful weather conditions.

If there is any country that can deal with a barrier lake it is China, but this will be interesting to watch.