China-Nepal Highway fully re-opens one month after landslide
25/8/2008 17:17
The China-Nepal Highway, which was disrupted by a massive landslide a
month ago, was fully re-opened to traffic today.
Escorted by officers and
soldiers with the No.2 detachment of the China Armed Police Forces for
Transportation, a convoy of 17 fully-loaded trucks early today streamed through
the repaired section where the worst landslide since 1965 took place on July 25,
said a spokesman surnamed Chen with the detachment.
The 827-km China-Nepal
Highway, linking Lhasa and the Friendship Bridge at the border, is a key
commercial link between China and countries to the south.
The Zham Port, the
largest in Tibet and on the Sino-Nepal border, handles more than 70 percent of
the region's trade. Trade at this border crossing was worth US$280 million last
year.
The landslide, whose volume was estimated at 300,000 cubic meters,
occurred early on July 25 on the mountainous road about 2 km from Zham and
totally destroyed that section of the highway.
It was the largest such danger
since the highway opened in 1965, according to the regional transport
department.
The landslide, triggered by heavy rain, at one point stranded
more than 1,000 people.
Experts said the geological structure along the
highway on the southern face of the Himalayas is fragile and prone to landslides
during the rainy season, which runs from May to September in the
region.
Traffic and police authorities in Tibet Autonomous Region sent more
than 200 workers and armed police to repair the road.
The soldiers and
officers cleared the fallen debris, in addition to transferring 7,000 tons of
materials and helping the damaged highway resume traffic 15 days ahead of
schedule, according to the spokesman.
Wang Dui, chief of the No.2 detachment
and an officer responsible for repairing the highway, said since the regional
rainy season is not over, there is a danger of more landslides.
"The highway
section that collapsed on July 25 is under surveillance around the clock in case
another landslide strikes," said Wang.
Xinhua
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