“ On August 8th, a temporary lake caused by a recent landslide broke loose above the town of Zhouqu, in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. The outflow slid down the valley as a wall of mud, wiping out houses and multi-story buildings, and killing at least 1,144 residents – with over 600 still reported as missing. More than 10,000 soldiers and rescuers arrived soon to comb through the mountains of mud that buried several parts of Zhouqu County. Engineers also worked to blast the debris that had passed through the town to partially block the Bailong River, causing further flooding.”

You have been asked to write an article for a magazine (or newspaper – your choice) about this landslide, informing the public about the hazards of landslides, why they happen in certain locations, and why the landslide in Zhouqu was so exceedingly devastating. Your article should also investigate how the political and social regimes of China helped, or hindered, the recovery efforts in Zhouqu.

“ On August 8th, a temporary lake caused by a recent landslide broke loose above the town of Zhouqu, in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, China. The outflow slid down the valley as a wall of mud, wiping out houses and multi-story buildings, and killing at least 1,144 residents – with over 600 still reported as missing. More than 10,000 soldiers and rescuers arrived soon to comb through the mountains of mud that buried several parts of Zhouqu County. Engineers also worked to blast the debris that had passed through the town to partially block the Bailong River, causing further flooding.”

You have been asked to write an article for a magazine (or newspaper – your choice) about this landslide, informing the public about the hazards of landslides, why they happen in certain locations, and why the landslide in Zhouqu was so exceedingly devastating. Your article should also investigate how the political and social regimes of China helped, or hindered, the recovery efforts in Zhouqu.