Society

Fresh avalanche kills two more in Xinjiang

By Zuo Likun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-03-02 14:05

Fresh avalanches killed two bulldozer drivers who were sent to start a clearance operation after 27 trapped miners were rescued in northwest China, news reports said.

Two others were missing after their bulldozers were overturned by new snow slides in Nilka county in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The latest deaths will raise questions about the clear-up operation after it was revealed the team was working without the authority of the rescue headquarters.

Mine manager Kang Zhengwen led four men into an area liable to further avalanches at around two o'clock in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, according to China National Radio.

In less than two hours, a fresh avalanche swept down, overturning the bulldozers, and the five were buried in, said the report.

Relief teams rushed to the site following the emergency call, but were only able to retrieve a single survivor and two bodies. One of the victims was identified as the mine company's bulldozer driver Zeng Xiangjun, the other still unidentified. Beside Kang, the second missing person was named as security guard Li Qiang.

The death toll from the wintry mishap at Nilka county now hits five. Rescue efforts for the missing two are still underway.

The day before the latest tragedy, rescue headquarters was relieved when the last 27 miners, trapped for seven days in avalanches, were rescued and transported to safety in the early hours as the persistent snowfall in the area last week had hindered the rescue operation.

The avalanche plight was widespread in Xinjiang. At another iron mine in Kazak autonomous prefecture of Ili, at least 135 miners were still trapped in avalanches, according to the broadcaster China National Central Television. As for Monday night, hundreds remained stranded in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and Kunes Town, Hejing County.

On Monday, three people, including a pregnant Uygur woman, were airlift to safety from Hejing county of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, where over 400 have been evacuated already, Xinhua said. The pregnant woman was in a stable condition, according to the rescue team.