A tremendous landslip, measuring 400,000 cubic meters, has collapsed into the Baishuihe River in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, south-west China's Sichuan Province.

It's calculated that since December some 1,500,000 cubic meters of debris has slipped down the mountain. It has become the largest landslip case in the history of Sichuan Province.

The bulk of the debris has formed a dam, over 400 meters long and 30 meters high, effectively blocking Baishuihe river. The loose rocks also threaten to obstruct the flow of some sluice tunnels, which may cause flooding for both the upper and lower reaches of the river.

Vice-mayor of Mianyang City, Li Yalian says that rescue work is underway, and hundreds of villagers living near the landslip area have already been evacuated. There is no report of casualties.

Experts say that the landslip has not subsided and will continue to advance. More villagers living along the river may need to be evacuated if the situation worsens with more rainfalls in the coming days.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 2, 2007)