Nearly 100 villagers living upstream Three Gorges dam have been forced leave their homes under threat landslide, which officials fear disturbed during filling dam's reservoir last year, Xinhua News Agency reported week.
The Yemaomian (wild cat face) landslide 17 kilometres upstream Three Gorges dam Hubei province's Zigui county. Chinese experts identified old landslide unstable prone collapse 2003, when filling Three Gorges reservoir began. As predicted, several slides have forced residents flee their homes since then.
Fears were raised again last month when residents Miaohe village discovered 200-metre fissure Yemaomian landslide. week, 99 villagers 22 households were evacuated precautionary measure case landslide, which carries an estimated 12 million cubic metres rock earth, drops into Yangtze river.
Although cause crack still unclear, major rainstorms any significant changes GPS monitoring network have been recorded reservoir area. But preliminary investigation cited one local official suggests crack prompted water level fluctuations reservoir.
"According local people, crack on Yemaomian slide caused fluctuation water levels after reservoir filled 156 metres last October," Cheng Chongjun, director Three Gorges area administration Yangtze Three Gorges Navigation Administrative Bureau, told Xinhua. "Our preliminary investigations reveal deformation slide most likely related these reservoir fluctuations."
Zhao Zongzheng, county official, said he fears deformation could worsen when reservoir lowered 144 metres preparation approaching flood season. Although crack currently stable, heavy rainfall unexpected seismic activity could trigger further deformation.
Three Gorges dam, world's biggest, built geologically unstable area prone landslides. 2001, survey Changjiang Water Resources Commission identified 1,320 zones area risk landslides. Senior water engineers warned impounding huge body water 600-km-long reservoir could activate least 760 landslips – many which have since broken loose Hubei province beyond.
The county government said end October, new houses will built Miaohe evacuees on flat area just two kilometres reactivated landslide. Xinhua did not report where displaced villagers will live between now then.
