STORY: A drop of water on a wonder-making journey
DATELINE: July 18, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:15
LOCATION: XI'AN, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of a drop of water on a wonder-making journey

STORYLINE:

Water is a symbol of life and a source of vitality.

Chinese city Xi'an once became the core city of Shaanxi Province due to its access to eight rivers, but now it's facing a series of urban development challenges due to a growing water shortage.

In the near future, however, the water drunk by Xi'an people living in the north is likely to come from the south, as Shaanxi, home to the largest tributaries of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, is about to complete a grand water transfer project across the Qinling Mountains.

In Hanshuiyuan Village, Ningqiang County, Shaanxi Province, mountain springs form the source of Hanjiang River. From here, a drop of water will start a wonder-making journey through the Qinling Mountains to the Guanzhong Plain.

A tunnel is being dug deep in the Qinling Mountains to divert water from the Hanjiang River to the Weihe River.

To achieve this world-level engineering feat, it entails penetrating nearly 100 kilometers of solid granite at a depth of 2,000 meters, marking the first time for human beings to cross Qinling Mountains from underground.

Inside the underground tunnel, the temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius all year round, and the relative humidity is as high as 90 percent, making it feel like a giant sauna room.

Meanwhile, workers have to deal with various emergency situations like rock bursts.

The tunnel is also known as the Shaanxi version of China's mega South-to-North Water Diversion Project, benefiting more than 14 million people and the most fertile land in northwest China.

Linking tributaries of China's two largest rivers, the engineering miracle is creating a better life for the people.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Xi'an, China.
(XHTV)