A missing man was found 17 days after the earthquake in southwestern China. Gan Yu had stayed in the area to help prevent a flood. But Gan, visually impaired, lost his glasses and was left alone in the harsh landscape, he reports BBC news. Last Wednesday he was found by a farmer.
The September 5th earthquake in Sichuan province killed 93 people. More than 400 others were injured.
Gan continued to work at the Wangong Hydroelectric Plant that day. He tried to prevent floods by pumping water. He also helped his injured colleagues.
But when the very short-sighted man lost his glasses, it was difficult to get out of the rugged landscape, local media reported. Together with his colleague Luo Yong, they hiked about 20 kilometers in the mountains surrounding the plant.
In vain did they report help as rescuers searched the area. Luo told the Chinese media that they took off their clothes, tied them to tree branches and then waved them. Eventually, Luo decided to seek help and left Gan. He was left with a makeshift bed of moss and bamboo leaves and some wild fruit and bamboo shoots to eat.
On September 8, rescuers found Luo. But when Gan’s hideout was found three days later, it was gone. Rescuers found only his clothes.
A farmer living near the hydroelectric plant joined the research this week. After a few hours, the farmer heard Gan calling and found him among the trees. Gan was taken to the hospital with broken bones.
Sichuan sits on the edge of two continental plates that slide over each other. Earthquakes are common. In 2008, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 was measured. It killed more than 80,000 people.
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