Successive earthquakes in south-west China's Yunnan province signals future disasters for dams being built by Chinese companies in Northern Burma, which is on the same earthquake fault line with Yunnan, said ethnic Kachin environmentalists on the Sino-Burma border. The dams could burst in the aftermath of earthquakes causing floods and killing thousands.
[The Confluence of Mali-N'mai Rivers also called Irrawaddy Myitsone and a tourist spot of northern Burma has been under inspected for constructing biggest dam of hydropower project in Kachin state jointly by Burma-Asia World Co. Ltd., and China's CPI since late 2006.] Currently, nine dams for hydropower projects are planned to be constructed in Kachin State by Burma's military rulers--- seven dams in Irrawaddy River and N'mai Hka River and three dams in Taping River also called Ta Hkaw Hka in Kachin in Bhamo District, according to Burmese state-run newspapers.
The main builders of all projects are China's China Power Investment Corporation (CPI) and China Datang Corporation (CDT), said the junta-run papers.
Awng Wa, environmentalist and chairman of the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG) said, "Benefits of all the hydropower projects in Kachin State will go to China and the Burmese ruling junta. Tens of thousands of people near the hydropower project sites will face disasters like floods from bursting dams".
Awng Wa added, every dam can burst if earthquakes hit often whether it is built strongly enough or not, opposing the general opinion that "there are no threats if the dams are built strongly".
Meanwhile, China is constructing a dam for hydropower project on the Chinese side of Taping River on the border, 10 miles from Myothit city in Bhamo District in Burma. The project is about to be completed, eyewitness on the border told KNG today. The Taping River emanates in China and joins the Irrawaddy River near Bhamo Township.
[Map of proposed dam projects of Burma's ruling junta in Kachin State, northern Burma.] Construction on the Burma side of Taping River, No. 1 and No. 2 Taping Hydropower Projects have started since early this year jointly by China Datang Corporation (CDT) and the junta, said residents of Bhamo.
According to KDNG, No. 1 Taping Hydropower Project is under construction 33 miles from Bhamo and is will generate 240 MW of electricity whereas No. 2 Taping Hydropower Project is being built 26 miles from Bhamo and will generate 168 MW of electricity.
On August 20, on Wednesday at 5:35 a.m. local time, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale hit areas 40 miles northeast of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State in Northern Burma and 139 miles from the city of Dali in China's Yunnan province, according to a statement on the US Geological Survey (USGS) website.
On, August 21, Thursday at 8:24 p.m. local time, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit Ying Jiang County, Dehong Dai-Jingpo (Kachin) Autonomous Prefecture, said locals.
Yesterday evening's earthquake also jolted not only Laiza and Mai Ja Yang, the business centres controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) on Sino-Burma border but also Myitkyina township capital of Kachin State, said residents.
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