Thousands of workers ensure road traffic to quake zone
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Thousands of Chinese road maintenance workers have been working round-the-clock to ensure quake-damaged roads open for sending most-needed relief goods to the quake zone in southern Qinghai Province.
Jia Hong, director of the Qinghai transportation management bureau, said 21,842 person times have been mobilized to repair the roads, and clear 191,977 cubic meters of debris on the roads, which was left by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Yushu prefecture on April 14 .
"Two trunk roads linking to the quake zone of Yushu have remained open, although both of them have suffered many damages," said Zhou Yongzhi, deputy director of the Qinghai Provincial Transport Bureau.
He took the Mardo Bridge on the No. 214 state highway for example. The bridge had been due to repair even before the quake. However, to ensure the transportation of relief goods, maintenance workers have laid steel plates on the bridge.
"So far, the bridge only allow one vehicle to pass through each time," he said.
He said the road was still under heavy traffic pressure, as rebuilding materials for the quake zone were mainly transported by road.
Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu who inspected the quake relief work in Qinghai on Saturday stressed ensuring road transportation links to the quake zone.
