More than 14,000 people were to be evacuated by Thursday as potential landslides and mud-rock flows threatened the security of villagers in Hanwang Town in Mianzhu City, Sichuan Province, the local authorities said late Wednesday.

About 3,000 people were being evacuated during the night on Wednesday, said Zhang Yangwu, Party secretary of Hanwang.

By late Thursday, all 14,000 people were to be transported to Wudu Village where temporary shelters were being built, Zhang said.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2008)