The safety evaluation of damaged buildings is a major task ahead of the reconstruction of quake-hit areas. Many experts are needed for the high-risk job of performing the evaluations.

The safety evaluation of damaged buildings is a major task ahead of the reconstruction of quake-hit areas. (Photo: CCTV.com)

This volunteer team is from Zhejiang Province's capital of Hangzhou. Its members are nationally-certified building structure safety evaluation experts. Despite the danger of aftershocks, they have spent the past four days identifying all damaged buildings and houses in Sichuan province's Qingchuan County.

The experts are particularly concerned with the severely-stricken township of Muyu, where the rubble of collapsed buildings lines deserted roads, and many other structures could also suddenly collapse.

Wang Jiande, volunteer, said, "The junction points at the corner are damaged. The bearing capacity of this building has been reduced by at least 50 percent."

Local government officials took the team of experts for an inspection of Muyu Middle School. (Photo: CCTV.com)

Local government officials took the team of experts for an inspection of Muyu Middle School.

Li Jianche, Muyu District Construction Office, said, "All students at Muyu Middle School and Muyu Primary School are now attending lessons in makeshift tents. It's summer and it's getting hotter every day.

So if the school buildings are safe, we want to move the students back as soon as possible."

After an initial inspection and evaluation, the experts say over 90 percent of buildings in Qingchuan County need to be demolished and rebuilt. And other damaged houses will be fixed.

(CCTV June 2, 2008)