By Xiang Bin

One week has passed since the 8.0 magnitude earthquake hit, ravaging southwest China’s Sichuan Province on May 12. The relief work has now entered a new phase focusing on resettling homeless victims. Dujiangyan City will construct transitional houses to accommodate the victims for 3-5 years.

A Beijing News report today quoted Wang Yifu, chairman of the local committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference as saying that resettling victims has become the top issue on the agenda, with the vast Tianfu Road chosen as the resettlement point.

On the afternoon of May 17 governmental departments pitched a tent big enough to accommodate 4000 people on Tianfu Road and also put up some temporary tents along Anda Road.

From today onward victims from Xingfu Town and Guankou Town will be transferred to these two resettlement points and the government will guarantee their food and medical care. In addition, the government will also build transitional houses to accommodate these victims for 3-5 years.

Reports stated that from May 15 the local construction department began assessing all damaged structures. After the assessment has been completed victims may return to homes deemed safe and habitable.

(China.org.cn May 19, 2008)