The devastating landslide in Zhouqu, China that killed many and made many homeless has a lot of causes and ways that could have some what prevented it. China is one of the worlds hot spots for landslides, the ground is very shaky. The main issue is that the region has gone through about 50 years of unrestrained logging. Many mountain tops have been stripped bare by the logging. Each year, forests have declined and the environment has been damaged beyond its capacity to recover. By the time local governments started to plant trees to stabilize the soil, the vegetation was unable to form on the steep, thinly soiled slopes. There have been efforts to help restore the way of life in the western part of China. The restoration of a permanent water supply started in Zhouqu county in northwest China's Gansu Province as the rebuilding of the mudslide-battered area picked up and has mostly been completed now. Safe drinking water will be available within five months of being completed. Zhouqu's main water supplies were cut after the mudslides and emergency water containers had been used to provide safe water for a while after the disaster.
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