China soldiers ready to dynamite quake lake
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese soldiers carrying 10 kg (22 lb) of dynamite each arrived on Monday at the Tangjiashan lake, one of dozens formed by this month's earthquake, to try to blast away rubble and avert a new disaster, state media said.
About 1,800 armed police and People's Liberation Army soldiers set off on Sunday for the expanding "quake lake", upstream from the Beichuan county seat, from which thousands of survivors have been evacuated since Wednesday.
Its barrier is in danger of bursting after the water level rose by nearly two meters on Saturday to 723 meters (2,372 ft), only 29 meters below the lowest part of the barrier, Xinhua news agency said.
"The lake is now holding more than 128 million cubic meters of water and may cause a devastating flood if the barrier bursts," Xinhua said on Monday, two weeks after the earthquake struck.
The risks are heightened as high winds and thunderstorms are forecast for Sichuan province, where it is feared the total death toll could exceed 80,000.
A strong aftershock jolted southwest China on Sunday killing at least one person and injuring 400.
More than 70,000 houses were toppled during Sunday's tremor in Qingchuan, state television reported. The 5.8 magnitude aftershock was epicentred 40 km (25 miles) west-northwest of Guangyuan, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
(Reporting by Nick Macfie; Editing by Alex Richardson)
