Quake lakes
We've all learned a new phrase in the last few days: quake lake. It's pretty simple to explain - a lake created when landslides from an earthquake block rivers.
Right now, there are around 34 of these quake lakes in the area hit by the earthquake.
China's worried about what might happen if they overflow - especially if it starts raining.
So, engineers have been trying to dig channels to lower the level of the water.
I've spent the last couple of days having a look at this story (this is a piece I've done - and here's a bit of tv we did looking round an evacuation camp.)
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Throughout the day it's been difficult and sometimes pretty confusing to work out the exact scale of the evacuation.
We know from numerous reports that more than 160,000 have left their homes.
We also know that 1.3m people live in places that are at risk of flooding.
Late in the afternoon the state news agency reported that an order had gone out to evacuate everyone at risk - all 1.3m people.
We checked this out - the order was denied by officials we spoke to in Mianyang.
I've been too wrapped up in this story to notice much else in the last few days - but from what I read, Sharon Stone probably won't be coming to China anytime soon.
PS: Thanks for all your replies so far to the questions I asked earlier in the week.
It's been fascinating to read what you've had to say - lots of stuff I hadn't thought of. Once I get a bit of quieter time in Sichuan I'll go through the answers and add a few of my own thoughts.
I’m 
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Sharon Stone is not the only person in the West thought in that way - she is just stupid enough to speak it out.
This exactly shows how those people treated China and why they support so-called Free Tibet, they don't really care about human right, they even don't care about people's lives which have no link to government policy at all, but use human right as a tool to attack China.
Thanks James for your reports on earthquake, you may have known a little bit more about China and Chinese from the earthquake rescue and how ordinary Chinese people have done to support disaster relief.
I also recommend you to visit Tibet and randomly interview some ordinary Tibetan people, you will find the situation is not as bad as West media have shown at all. The West media have been extremely partial, biased, and also againist China.
I have to agree China government has some problems as well, especially lack of PR tactics.
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I don't know what sources are you using when you say you are quoting the state media. But according to the news report (Xinwen Lianbo) on 30th May, 2008 on Channel 1 in state television, the number of people to be evacuated in Mianyang was set at 200,000, while xinhuanet.com puts the it at 190,000. So it's not surprising that the officials deny that over one million are evacuated.
Sharon Stone is apparently not aware that a significant population of Tibetans also live in the epicentre, i.e. Wenchuan county, which is afterall, part of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture. I should also point out to Ms. Stone that some of the Tibtetan anti-governmental riots/protests also took place in the Ngawa prefecture, and that no Chinese (Tibetan, Han or other ethnicities) shares her view that this earthquake has to do with karma. Even the Dalai Lama has not done so.
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One more thing shows how ignorant Sharon Stone and like are: Many Tibetans have been killed in the earthquake as well.
Tibetans account for 18% of population in the epicenter county. Of course those "support" Tibet don't know that, they don't know where is Tibet, they don't know Tibetans living in other pronvices other than Tibet as well(they just "oppose" Han Chinese living in Tibet), they know nothing about Tibet and Tibetans at all.
Of course every Tibetan died is a Chinese died, we have been in deep sorrow for every death.
In China, we really don't discirminate aginist minorities, all are the same(minorities have preference on some matters). In the West, although the law is aginist discirmination, but everyone knows the reality ....
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How are you, Mr.Reynolds! I'm a chinese living in Chengdu now. I'm a college student and my college is located in Mianyang, I think you know that place.
This disaster not brings us hurt and painful, but also it let us know the love is in our heart. A chinese report: a prisoner donating money to quake zone, he said to journalist that I have never done any good thing, this is first.
I wanna produce a person, who died in this disaster. His name is ChenJian. He was suppressed by the collaps walls for several dozens hours, rescuer wanna dig him out from ruins, but it's not easy, he told journalist his wife just was pregnant and he is so young. He must live for everyone who love him, he would never give up. His wife and his baby are waiting for him. He encouraged every rescuer. After several hours, rescuer pulled him out, but maybe 30 minutes later, he was die. Everyone cried, the doctor rescued diligently, the journallst shouted his name. But he never wake up.
I want to tell you, chinese people are stronger, we are all like ChenJian, will never give up, we will rebuild our hometown on the ruins, even we die, other chinese people will continue. Nothing can stop us!
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I'm eager to see your Sharon Stone clip. How disappointing it's going be a long wait. May be it's just another fantasy.
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hi,
i was wondering about sharon stone's comments and if anyone has talked about the historical chinese concept of heavenly mandate? is anyone inside china considering events this way?
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This sounds very scary indeed, I really hope that city in the background I saw is not at risk I am keeping my fingers crossed for everyone effected by the quake I really hope it does not happen!
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Hi, James. This quake lake is a headache. We could understand it as a mountain falled down and block the river. my heart sinks seeing a 600mX800m nount to be removed by human being. from the view, people and huge machines are like ants.
The situation is confusing. my understanding is it is highly dependant on the god ruling rainfalls. if there is rainfall, there will be real trouble.
The three alternative schemes of evacuation: 1/3 collapsing, 160,000 people to be evacuated; the other two million people will be affected.
in June 30, the 1/3 scheme was triggered and 150,000 people were evacuated. there will be a maneuver for the 'total collapse' scenario.
That's my information from China's public media. and there are all sorts of rumors on the internet.
take care
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and one word on sharon stone.
I really don't think she means it. However, as a celebrity, one really shall be careful about what she says. I believe she's not the only one who thinks it is a 'karma', but it is not wise to say it.
If possible, I would like the readers and China watchers to know, the reaction of Chinese people (or in other communities) is magnified by the 'angry yourth' who has discourse power on internet. a lot of people do not care at all.
I don't know it is good or bad to have a big nation. an opinion supported by 1% of the population, thats 13 million.
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The work here in China I have been doing.
There are no real words that can really tell the emotions that a situation such as this can impart to everyone else out there.
Death, and not just death itself, but death in some of it's worst and most horrendous forms. Impossible to imagine even with experience in emergency departments. Lifeless bodies and so many of which are sweet lovely innocent children. Much of the time for some, appearing to be in a peaceful sleep. And then to realize, that they will never wake again. That the future time of their life is now over.
The sheer numbers alone is beyond what one could imagine. The time out and hoping, praying for another miracle save. But it seems will never come but hope still nonetheless.
Treating one person after another in what seems to be an endless procession of people that come for help. Fractures in every place a body can have. Lacerations and dislocations. And most all with infections from walking through the mountains for days. Some will lose their leg or arm in amputations due to the infections and some will suffer other debilitating deformities.
One man, treating his head and leg wounds who walked into the camp, and "oh, by the way, my shoulder hurts" in what was a completely dislocated shoulder walking around with it for 4 days. But yes, back in place now.
The man who lost his mother, his father, his wife and both his children.
Case after case of physical, emotional and psychological distress and pain. Too many to even begin to tell of.
Whatever I do here, is not enough nor will it ever be.
But I will try as will the rest of the world.
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China is really experiencing an unsmooth year,with so many serious disasters and accidents. But Chinese people show their unconqurable spirits before these events.
Come on!Cina,you have a great government caring about the people,and you have great people closely united with each other and the country. There is nothing can stop your pace,and everything will become well.
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I hope the engineers are successful and the water levels drop. It seems so unfair that these people are now threatened with a flood after going through so much.
The people in the camps seem so calm and strong, let's hope their lives can start getting back to normal soon.
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Thank you,James,for visiting Sichuan again. As a Chinese student studying abroad I really appreciate what you did for reporting the earthquake and also I am so happy to see that you said "hello"in Chinese to local people in this video, which at least means you are trying to get more touch with ordinary Chinese people. I am confident with that you will find Chinese people are still very nice to British people although so many unhappy things happened in this year.
Maybe you do not know that many people in China are following your reports closely, so if you can send objective reports from the earthquake area it really can give those people in disaster more courage to overcome the difficulties.
Since you called all Chinese people big ostrich you became the biggest ostrich in Chinese people's mind,but sometimes ostrich is lovely.
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ChinaDoc,
Are you a doctor who comes from abroad to work in China? If so, then more people around the world should hear about your experience and James perhaps could do a story on you.
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Up to now,the Tangjiashan lake has been draining little by little .I 'm sure it will be a success.The army soldiers are great heroes.Just go to watch today's CCTV news programmes,and you will see.
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