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

Related article:

China's second-largest hydropower project enters construction phase

Tags: Chongqing, dams, Dujiangyan, earthquake, environment, Gansu, hydropower, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Three Gorges, Tibet

Subs show canceled due to earthquake

Wednesday, 14th May 2008 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

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.

Related articles:

Contribute to Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts

Sichuan, Beijing earthquakes shake China

Beijing garage rockers Subs to play Kunming

Tags: earthquake, live music, Rock Yunnan, Sichuan, Subs, Wenchuan

Contribute to Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts

Wednesday, 14th May 2008 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

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
Click the tab for online donations

Tags: donations, earthquake, Red Cross, Shanghaiist, Sichuan, Wenchuan

Sichuan, Beijing earthquakes shake China

Monday, 12th May 2008 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (4)

An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 with its epicenter in northeast Sichuan province's Wenchuan County took place today just 90 km (55 miles) west-northwest of the provincial capital Chengdu, population 11 million. Tremors from the quake were felt throughout China.

Reports of damage or casualties have yet to emerge, but Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is now headed to Sichuan to survey the damage and the People's Liberation Army has been mobilized to assist in any aid and rescue efforts.

The earthquake took place at 2:28 pm Beijing time, with tremors being felt in Kunming around 2:35. Tremors were also felt in Beijing, 1,545 km (960 miles) northeast of Wenchuan, but their origin is still unclear. Xinhua is reporting that a second earthquake took place in Tongzhou, part of Beijing Municipality, at 2:35 pm today.

Chengdu's airport has been closed, with some flights being diverted to Kunming Wujiaba International Airport.

GoKunming has contacted friends in Chengdu who are reporting widespread building evacuations but no major damage due to the Wenchuan quake. Utilities and public transportation are also reportedly unaffected.

Update: At least 10,000 are dead, with that number expected to rise. The Chinese military is sending 27,000 troops - including 3,000 special forces - to assist affected areas.

Chengdu image: Xinhua

Related article: Pu'er hit by 6.4-magnitude earthquake

Tags: Beijing, Chengdu, earthquake, Kunming Wujiaba International Airport, Sichuan, Tongzhou, Wenchuan County

Pu'er hit by 6.4-magnitude earthquake

Monday, 4th June 2007 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

The city of Pu'er in southern Yunnan is recovering from an earthquake yesterday that registered 6.4 on the Richter scale. Three people died, more than 300 were injured and 120,000 have been evacuated after their homes collapsed or suffered damage from the quake, according to a press release by the Red Cross Society of China.

In the quake's aftermath the Pu'er government allocated one million yuan for emergency relief. Additionally, Red Cross emergency supplies valued at half a million yuan are being transferred to affected areas by the headquarters of the Chinese Red Cross and its Yunnan branch.

Due to damage to over 70 mobile phone signal transmission towers, mobile telephone traffic in the area has been affected. The region's power grid has also been damaged and two reservoirs have reportedly cracked.

Tremors from Sunday's earthquake were reportedly felt as far away as Lincang (200 km from Pu'er) and Jinghong (300 km from Pu'er). Damage from the quake to unsturdy homes and buildings in Pu'er underscores the urgency of the Yunnan provincial government's plan to provide renovation subsidies for eligible homes in the province's rural areas.

To donate to the Red Cross in China, visit their contact page or their online donation page.

Image: Xinhua News

Tags: earthquake, Pu'er

Yunnan to offer earthquake renovation subsidies

Wednesday, 17th January 2007 ~ Chris ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

Yunnan province is planning on spending as much as five billion yuan (US$625 million) over the next decade to assist farmers in rebuilding or strengthening their homes in anticipation of future earthquakes, according to a ChinaGate report.

Yunnan Vice Governor Luo Zhengfu was cited in the report as saying one million homes would be subsidized in the province, where 56 have died and more than 2,100 have been injured in the 21 earthquakes here since 2000. Rural homes around Kunming and Zhaotong in Yunnan's northeast will be among the domiciles targeted.

Yunnan is home to the Xiaojiang fault line, which runs through the Dali and Lijiang autonomous prefectures and is only a little more than 30 kilometers from Kunming. In 1970, the fault was the source of a major tremor that registered at 7.7 and caused significant damage to the city. The most powerful recorded earthquake in Kunming was an 8.0 in 1833 that leveled the city.

Dali and Lijiang have both been hit by tremors in recent years, most seriously in the case of Lijiang in 1996, which caused serious damage to the city's old town. There are plans to build the world's #second-largest dam at Tiger Leaping Gorge, near Lijiang and the Xiaojiang fault.

Households that are determined to be eligible for subsidies will receive 3,000 to 5,000 yuan (US$370-$625), according to the number of people living in those households. Aid recipients will also be provided technical assistance on reinforcement and rebuilding work. The project is modeled after a pilot project implemented on 1,000 homes in Zhaotong last year.

Tags: earthquake, Zhaotong

Happy New Year from GoKunming

Monday, 1st January 2007 ~ Matthew ~ Link ~ Comments (0)

As you probably already know, an earthquake off Taiwan on December 26th caused widespread disruption to Asia Pacific internet connectivity. This (as well as plenty of partying) has meant that things have recently been quieter than usual on this website. Connectivity in the region is still sporadic, and unstable, but does seem to be improving, and we hope to make a return to normal service soon.

In the meantime, the GoKunming team wishes you and the city of Kunming all the best for 2007.

Tags: earthquake, Taiwan