RATHER than go to hospital and have her injuries treated, mudslide survivor Zeng Yanqun dug the mud with her bare hands for three straight days in a vain attempt to rescue her family members.

The 18-year-old was pulled out of chest-deep mud on Sunday morning after the massive mudslide engulfed Beijie Village in Zhouqu County. Her parents and brother didn't make it. And because her injuries were not quickly attended to, she has had to undergo major surgery.

Zeng underwent an operation to remove dead muscles from her left leg, a surgical procedure that has left a large scar and will affect her walking, said Wang Shiyong, a doctor at the General Hospital of the Lanzhou Military Area where Zeng was taken.

"I saw sludge burying my father," said Zeng, who rushed to her parents' bedroom before the mud crashed down. "My father pushed me away as the mud hit us, and I was saved by that push."

Zeng battled the mud to reach for her father, but as soon as she grabbed his clothes more mud poured in and totally immersed him.

"The mud piled as high as my chest, and for a moment, I wished that I could die so I could be with my parents. But somehow I survived," said Zeng, whose left leg was injured by falling rocks.

Brother's body

Dragging her swollen leg, Zeng begged others to help her dig out her family. But due to the slippery mud, they could only use their hands.

Her brother's body was the first to be dug out on Sunday afternoon.

"I didn't cry after the mudslide. But the moment I saw my brother's body, I couldn't help crying," Zeng said.

Her brother's body was temporarily placed at the square in front of the county government building. There, Zeng sat with him throughout the night with a lit candle and praying.

Zeng wanted to search for her parents herself, but her leg was in bad shape. Her aunt had to literally drag her to hospital on Wednesday.

"I really wanted to see my parents for the last time, but my leg was killing me, and I couldn't walk on my own," Zeng said.

"You should have sought treatment as soon as you were rescued. You probably would not have needed to have the surgery," said a patient in the same ward.

Hearing this, Zeng smiled and said nothing.

• rescue [´reskju:] vt.&n.救援；挽救 (初中英语单词)
• undergo [,ʌndə´gəu] vt.经历(受)；遭受 (初中英语单词)
• affect [ə´fekt] vt.影响；感动；假装 (初中英语单词)
• wednesday [´wenzdi] n.星期三 (初中英语单词)
• treatment [´tri:tmənt] n.待遇；对待；治疗 (初中英语单词)
• massive [´mæsiv] a.厚实的；魁伟的 (高中英语单词)
• procedure [prə´si:dʒə] n.过程；手续；方法 (高中英语单词)
• slippery [´slipəri] a.滑的；不稳固的 (高中英语单词)
• literally [´litərəli] ad.逐字地；实际上 (高中英语单词)
• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)
• surgery [´sə:dʒəri] n.外科；外科手术 (英语四级单词)
• totally [´təutəli] ad.统统，完全 (英语四级单词)
• swollen [´swəulən] swell的过去分词 (英语四级单词)
• temporarily [´tempərərili] ad.暂时地 (英语四级单词)
• survivor [sə´vaivə] n.未死的人；残存者 (英语六级单词)