Baoxing county struggles to recover after quake(2)

Impassable roads

Baoxing, which covers an area of 3,114 square km, is home to 58,000 people. The county administers nine townships and 54 villages. Pandas were first recorded there in the 19th century, leading to it becoming known as the "home of the Pandas".

The local geography, high mountains and low valleys, made Baoxing an "isolated island", according to one observer, in the aftermath of Saturday's tremblor. The relative elevation of the mountains is around 4,578 meters, which has added to the difficulties encountered by the relief workers.

Three roads leading from Lushan county to Baoxing were rendered impassable by landslides, although one reopened briefly at around 6 pm on Saturday after frantic efforts, according to Sichuan's provincial transportation department. The road was later blocked by landslides once again.

Approximately 200 members of the Sichuan Armed Police Force walked more than 10 km to Lingguan town, one of the places hardest hit in the county, arriving at 7 pm on Saturday, according to reports on China Central Television.

"Most of the houses have been destroyed and the roads leading in and out of the town have been blocked by landslides, which have hampered efforts to transport the severely injured," said Wang Qianjun, director of the Armed Police Force training department.

"We quickly came up with a plan: We transported the injured by vehicle to the places where the landslides blocked the road. Soldiers then carried the injured over the blocked areas to vehicles that were waiting to ferry them to the hospitals," he said.

More than 40,000 people are waiting to be relocated. Lingguan town, another of the most severely affected areas, is badly in need of helicopters to transport doctors and medicine for the critically injured. Most of the injured have fractures or head wounds, caused by falling objects. Supplies of food and medicine are limited. A makeshift hospital, essentially just a framework covered by cloth, has been set up in a school playground.

It took officers from Sichuan Public Security Fire Brigade more than two hours to hike to Lingguan town from their base in Lushan, a distance of less than 10 km, on Saturday night.

Rescuers were forced to crawl over the section of the road affected by the landslides. Loose rocks rolled down the cliffs and across the roads so frequently that people had to run to get past. Some attempted to shield their heads with rolled-up clothing and bags. Some of the rocks blocking the roads are as big as dining tables or cars and will need to be blasted clear.

Earthquake Strikes Ya'an, Sichuan"We have a shortage of tents, but rain is forecast in the next few days. At present, most of the displaced are living in homemade shelters built from plastic sheeting," said Ma Jun, chief of Baoxing county.

Most of the rescue workers in Baoxing are firefighters and soldiers. By noon on Sunday, their number had reached 870, but more were expected later in the day. A second team was attempting to access the county via local waterways, said Xinhua News Agency.

Electricity, water and gas supplies have been cut off and almost all the houses are damaged, including those rebuilt after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, according to Xinhua.

"We distributed some food to the victims, but there's no more water and we only have enough food for two more days. The fear of aftershocks means people dare not return to their homes to collect the things they need. Many slept in the open on Saturday night," said Ma.

"By 1 pm on Sunday, more than 1,000 injured people had received treatment at Lingguan town hospital. The landslides mean we can't use motorized transport and have to carry the badly wounded on stretchers so they can get treatment further afield," said Li Ming, director of Baoxing Health Bureau.