China's threatened dams

Large areas of China's Sichuan province are under threat from floods and landslides after a massive earthquake in the Beichuan area and several aftershocks.

This map shows dams in the area around Chengdu, which was devastated by the earthquake on 12 May. Some have been damaged by the shocks, sparking fears that thousands more homes could be swamped.

It was plotted by a team based at King's College London, and while it does not purport to show every dam in the region, or give any indication of their current condition, it gives an idea of the number contained in this vulnerable territory alone.

The problem is given added urgency by the fact that many of the dams are in areas considered most susceptible to the imminent rainy season.

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