As of 7 am today, a total of 57,500 cubic meters of debris had been removed at Tangjiashan. Workers have dug 300 meters of a 50-meter wide drainage channel and continue to dig.
An aerial photo taken on May 28, 2008 shows bulldozers work at the Tangjiashan earthquake-induced lake near Beichuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The earthquake-induced lake is at risk of bursting and threatens thousands of people downstream. Some 30 excavators are working non-stop to dig a diversion channel to drain the lake, which is expected to complete within 5 to 7 days if weather permits. A large number of residents in Mianyang City are prepared to evacuate.(Xinhua/Li Gang)
But heavy rain is hampering diversion efforts. Transport helicopters have been grounded, unable to deliver heavy machinery.
As of 6 pm Wednesday, the water level of the Tangjiashan barrier lake had reached 729 meters, up nearly four meters from Monday. Over 600 engineers and soldiers are working around the clock to drain the lake.
(CCTV May 30, 2008)