Emergency officials are keeping a close watch on several lakes in Sichuan - some of which are in danger of bursting their banks.
Emergency officials are keeping a close watch on several lakes in Sichuan - some of which are in danger of bursting their banks.
Authorities and experts have been closely monitoring the quake-formed lakes in Sichuan. They say the situation is under control for 7 of the 33 lakes now in danger of bursting.
That's not the case at the Tangjiashan lake site, which is 3.2 kilometers upstream from the Beichuan county seat.
Experts warn that the lake, which holds about 100 million cubic meters of water, poses a severe threat to people downstream.
As of Friday afternoon, tens of thousands of people in the area had already been evacuated.
Armed police, hydroelectric experts and construction workers are working to avert disaster.
33 people have already reached the site. An additional 350 people and heavy equipment will be airlifted there Sunday, as roads are still inaccessible.
Yue Xi, Vice Director of Hydroelectric Armed Police Squad, said, " We have already sent a group of armed police to the Tangjiashan site. Visibility was poor, so our helicopter couldn't land and we had to come back. But we're ready to set out at any time. The four rescue workers who are monitoring the danger in Tangjiasha say the water is rising, but does not pose an immediate threat."
Rescue workers are planning to dig channels to divert the increasing water in Tangjiashan lake, and they hope to get it done within 10 days.
(CCTV May 26, 2008)