China is home to an estimated 85,000 dams nationwide, more than 40 percent of the world's total. A large portion of those are in southwest China, especially Sichuan and Yunnan, whose rivers have their headwaters in neighboring Tibet.

Monday's magnitude 7.8 earthquake in northern Sichuan province highlights one of the vulnerabilities and inherent risks of China's prolific dambuilding in its southwest. Major rivers include the Jinsha, Nu and Lancang rivers, the headwaters of the Yangtze, Salween and Mekong rivers, respectively.

Sichuan's Tulong and Zipingpu reservoirs suffered damage from the quake, endangering the downstream city of Dujiangyan and its 500,000 residents, according to a Reuters report citing a local official.

According to the report, Sichuan's Yuzui levee, the linchpin of the Dujiangyan system, has also sustained damage from the quake, with cracks appearing. China's Ministry of Water Resources said the cracks were not serious.

In addition to Sichuan, the ministry has sent teams to the regions of Yunnan, Chongqing, Gansu and Shaanxi to assess earthquake-related damage to local dams. The majority of Yunnan's dams are far from Kunming and other major metropolitan areas within the province.

Xinhua quoted Water Resources Minister Chen Lei as saying that "local governments should monitor (dam) projects, to discover and repair damage as soon as possible. In case of danger, make sure to transport people to safer places."

Newer dam projects are tending to be larger than before, such as the Xiluodu Power Station, a dam that is being built on the Jinsha River between Sichuan and Yunnan. The hydropower project is scheduled for completion in 2015 and will be China's second-largest dam after the Three Gorges project.

Image: biaoshu.com

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In addition to the destruction and tragic loss of life Monday's earthquake caused in Wenchuan and elsewhere in Sichuan, many events in Sichuan and surrounding provinces including Yunnan have been canceled. One such event is the Kunming stop on the Subs' tour of west China.

Local music promoter Xiao Gui, posting on the Rock Yunnan BBS, announced the cancellation of the Subs show in Kunming originally scheduled for next Wednesday:

"Because of the earthquake, the band is unable to make it to Kunming from Gansu, there's no way around it, the performance has to be cancelled. This month has been truly unlucky, but we pray with devotion for the fortune of our compatriots. There will be loads of shows after the Olympics, let's all look forward to after the Olympics…"

Sam Debell of Speakeasy Bar, where the Subs/Noise Addiction show was to take place, confirmed that the show had been cancelled and expressed hope that it would be rescheduled for later this year. Debell said that the band was currently in Sichuan and was in good shape but unable to make it to Kunming.

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Editor's note: We have received many queries from readers about how they can contribute to the earthquake relief efforts in Wenchuan and elsewhere in Sichuan, here is information on how to help, courtesy of Shanghaiist:

For those who are looking to contribute to current aid efforts underway, you can now donate money to the Red Cross Society of China which has formed a disaster relief working group to be dispatched to the earthquake-stricken Wenchuan County in Sichuan.

They have also published an emergency relief hotline, along with bank account information to receive donations to assist their cause:

Account name: Red Cross Society of China
开户单位：中国红十字会总会

For those who want to donate in RMB: you can send money to the RMB account at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China branch below:
人民币开户行: 中国工商银行 北京分行东四南支行
人民币账号: 0200001009014413252

For those who want to donate in foreign currency, you can send money to the foreign currency account at the CITIC Bank branch below:
外币开户行：中信银行酒仙桥支行
外币账号: 7112111482600000209

Hotline: (8610) 65139999
Online donations: Red Cross Society of China website: www.redcross.org.cn
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