400 residents flee as cave-in sinks houses

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-12-21  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

NEARLY 400 villagers were evacuated after a cave-in affected 73 houses in south China's Guangdong Province, officials said yesterday.

Houses and residential buildings in Xiamao Village in Baiyun District of Guangzhou, the provincial capital, began to sink at about 4:15pm on Friday, forcing 381 people to flee, according to Liu Weiqiang, deputy district chief.

The subsidence occurred in an area of about 5,000 square meters, where one building collapsed, 11 houses sank or suffered cracks, and 61 others were being monitored.

Among people affected, 334 were migrant residents and 47 were locals. Many sought shelter in a conference hall and entertainment center while others moved in with their relatives or friends.

Liu said the government would provide temporary housing for 134 people. There were no reported injuries as the buildings tilted slowly allowing time to evacuate. The sinking area remained cordoned off last night.

An investigation indicated the sinking was caused by piling work hitting a limestone cave and disrupting subsoil, said Sun Guangmang of Guangzhou Institute of Geological Survey.