As the biggest of the 35 lakes formed in the Wenchuan earthquake, Tangjiashan Lake is only 3.2 kilometers away from the seat of Beichuan County. In order to drain the lake, PLA soldiers have been working in extreme conditions to finish the task.
The Tangjiashan barrier lake is inaccessible by road and can only be reached by foot or air.
The Tangjiashan barrier lake is inaccessible by road and can only be reached by foot or air.
A group of a thousand PLA soldiers reached the lake on Tuesday night. They carried seven tons of explosive with them, but that was far from enough for all the necessary drainage work on the lake.
A PLA brigadier said, "The soldiers fell down so many times and it was impossible to see in the night. We can only light the road with flashlights. And we carried seven tons of explosive in total, that's 24 kilograms each."
The soldiers had to travel a distance of 15 kilometers and climb two mountains both above 15-hundred meters high to reach at their destination.
In addition, they also ran the risk of getting lost in the mountains.
A PLA brigadier said, "We asked a guide to work out the route yesterday. And he marked the way."
A slope of nearly 45 degrees, muddy mountain roads, more than 20 kilograms on their backs, not to mention the threat of aftershocks each soldier faced considerable challenges in reaching the lake.
The soldiers only had a short break each hour. And, to travel more quickly, many of them left their food and bedding by the roadside.
Meanwhile, when the weather improved, helicopters resumed work in transporting equipment to the area.
The soldiers finally arrived at the Tangjiashan barrier lake after a six-hour trip. Without much of a break, they'll get straight to work.
(CCTV May 28, 2008)