Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake

The aerial photo taken on May 26, 2008 shows the landslide mud that formed the Tangjiashan quake lake near Beichuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The earthquake-induced lake is at risk of bursting and threatening thousands of people downstream. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei) Photo Gallery>>>

Decision time near to drain China's quake-formed lake as water rises

    CHENGDU, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The plan to drain the Tangjiashan "quake lake" in southwest China's Sichuan Province is due to be implemented by Thursday or thereafter, with the trapped water volume having risen to 211.6 million cubic meters as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.

    The volume was 200.8 million cubic meters at 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to the quake control and relief headquarters with the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR).

    The water level has been moving higher. It stood at 737.78 meters at 2 p.m. Wednesday, up 0.25 meters from 8 a.m. The water level was just 1.37 meters from the lowest point of the blockage.  Full story

Soldiers work non-stop to drain "quake lake" as thousands prepare to evacuate

    TANGJIASHAN, Sichuan, May 29 (Xinhua) -- More than 600 rescuers worked through heavy rain on Thursday to dig a diversion channel on one of the most dangerous lakes in China's quake-hit Sichuan Province.

    Soldiers and water resources professionals worked non-stop around the Tangjiashan "quake lake" despite heavy downpours that started about 10 p.m. on Wednesday. Full story

China preparing to drain swelling quake lake

    MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers are preparing to dynamite the barrier of a swelling quake lake, which has posed a new threat after a devastating 8.0-magnitude temblor ravaged southwest China's Sichuan Province.

    Helicopters had airdropped professionals and materials for the operation by 7:49 a.m. Monday onto the dam of the barrier lake at Tangjiashan in Beichuan County, which was formed by landslides that blocked a local river known as Jianhe after the May 12 earthquake.  Full story

Armed police brigade arrive at major quake lake in Sichuan

    TANGJIASHAN, Sichuan, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A group of armed policemen arrived on foot at the Tangjiashan quake lake in southwest China's Sichuan Province around 00:35 a.m. Monday and immediately began work to defuse the danger of a major flooding.Full story

Rescuers hiking to large Sichuan quake lake as flood alarm grows 

   MIANYANG, Sichuan, May 25 (Xinhua) -- About 1,800 armed police officers and People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were hiking on Sunday toward an expanding "quake lake" in southwest Sichuan Province, hoping to blast away its landslide barrier before it bursts and causes a flood.Full story