Six people who are held directly responsible for a reservoir dam
collapse late last month that led to a loss of 16 lives have been
arrested in Yiliang County, southwest China's Yunnan
Province.
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According to a press release provided by the Yiliang County
government on Saturday, the six people -- Zheng Shangying, Li
Xianglin, Deng Chaoyin, Huang Shunfu, Chen Junyi and Li Tianyuan --
are suspected of two criminal charges on major safety accident in
engineering and responsibility accident.
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One more people, who is not identified, nor properly defined with
any criminal charges, has been detained by the local police.
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The press release said the county Party and government authorities
would mete out and announce disciplinary actions against seven
local officials and civil servants in association with the accident
within one week.
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The dam of the reservoir affiliated to the Shuanglong Power Plant
in Xiaocaoba Township, Yiliang County, collapsed following
torrential rains on July 21, killing 16 villagers and injuring 23
others.
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Altogether 19 houses and 40 hectares of cropland in three villages
were inundated in the wake of the collapse of the reservoir dam,
and the direct economic loss was placed at 4.64 million yuan
(US$572,133).
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Later investigation concludes that the reservoir, with a storage
capacity of 80,000 cubic meters, had been built without any prior
official approval.
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Reconstruction has been carried out in an orderly way in the
accident- affected areas.
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A special working group has been in operation in Yiliang County to
offer judicial aid to the victims and be in charge of the
compensation affairs.
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Up to now, 1.1 million yuan (US$135,635) has been set aside for
purposes of rebuilding rural dwellings, roads, primary schools, the
river course, as well as ground leveling in Xiaocaoba
Township.
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(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2005)