Society

'Volunteers offer helping hands'

By Peng Yining, Hu Yongqi and Wang Huazhong (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-16 08:04

Editor's Note: China Daily sent seven reporters and photographers to Gansu after the landslide in Zhouqu county on Aug 8. The initial batch arrived just 19 hours after the tragedy and was among the first on the scene; a second group arrived three days later. Here, three of our journalists - Peng Yining, Hu Yongqi and Wang Huazhong recount their experiences in covering the disaster.

ZHOUQU , Gansu - What I have found most noticeable about the response to the landslide, apart from the obvious pain of the victims' families, is the sheer determination of the rescue and relief teams.

With the help of residents, they have not stopped digging bodies out from the mud since Aug 8.

Soldiers have been using heavy machinery to clear the blocked roads and, on Saturday, a Lanzhou corps built a steel bridge across the Bailong River.

I saw one almost fall into the fast-flowing waterway - luckily, his colleague grabbed his hand in time - and within minutes was back behind the controls of a digging machine.

Most residents in the west of the county who were less affected in the disaster have been donating food and water to help survivors. However, the poor road conditions (the main links were blocked from Aug 8 until Aug 13) mean victims have had to rely on the many people from nearby townships who have transported supplies on foot.

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One of the volunteers, 36-year-old Ma Aixian, carried 50 packets of instant noodles into the disaster zone after hearing about the disaster.

More than 1,100 people have participated in the rescue efforts as of last Friday, according to the Gannan Youth League.

He Jie, who is at 12, is one of the youngest volunteers, lost her aunt in the landslide and said her mother was severely injured.

However, despite the trauma, she was more than prepared to pitch in and carry packs of bottled water to a temporary shelter at Zhouqu No 1 High School.