Rugged terrain and lack of water have hampered efforts to control a forest fire in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region that has raged for five days.

 

A team of more than 400 local residents and military service personnel tried to pump water from a place about two kilometers away from the fire, but the water failed to reach the fire due to low water pressure, said Yang Yongbo, an official in charge of the fire control operation, on Tuesday.

 

The fire, spotted at about 6:00 AM on May 5 at Yi'ong State Geological park inside Bomi County, Nyingchi Prefecture, is still spreading quickly.

 

Fire fighters had cut an 800-meter fire break by Tuesday evening, but the complex terrain and sliding rocks have greatly hindered their efforts, Yang said.

 

The geological park, covering an area of 2,160 square kilometers, boasts China's largest marine glacier and barrier lake.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2007)