Rugged terrain and lack of water have hampered efforts to
control a forest fire in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region
that has raged for five days.
A team of more than 400 local residents and military service
personnel tried to pump water from a place about two kilometers
away from the fire, but the water failed to reach the fire due to
low water pressure, said Yang Yongbo, an official in charge of the
fire control operation, on Tuesday.
The fire, spotted at about 6:00 AM on May 5 at Yi'ong State
Geological park inside Bomi County, Nyingchi Prefecture, is still
spreading quickly.
Fire fighters had cut an 800-meter fire break by Tuesday
evening, but the complex terrain and sliding rocks have greatly
hindered their efforts, Yang said.
The geological park, covering an area of 2,160 square
kilometers, boasts China's largest marine glacier and barrier
lake.
(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2007)
