Chengdu, China (AP) Add a chemical fire to the woes plaguing the earthquake disaster recovery efforts in china.

A stockpile of chemicals being used to disinfect one town in the earthquake shattered region caught fire Thursday. Chinese television reports more than 60 soldiers were sickened by the fumes. Hundreds of people were evacuated.

The May 12th earthquake killed more than 68,000 people but nearly 20,000 others are still missing.

More heavy rain Thursday made life all the more miserable for hundreds of thousands of survivors living in tents and lean-tos.

Soldiers, meantime, are pressing on with the task of trying to clear away debris damming up rivers, to try to head off floods downstream.