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Collapse of barrier lake unlikely: official

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-11 17:11

BEIJING - It is unlikely the mudslide-formed barrier lake in northwest China's Zhouqu County will collapse, China's vice minister of water resources told a press conference here Wednesday.

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Jiao Yong, vice minister of the Ministry of Water Resources, said through draining and underwater explosions, the volume of water in the barrier lake had decreased to 700,000 cubic meters by 8:00 am Wednesday from 1.5 - 2 million cubic meters.

"The danger of the barrier lake collapsing has been basically eliminated," said Jiao.

But when asked whether the forecast rain will increase the likelihood of the barrier lake collapsing, Jiao said preparations have been made to deal that situation.

Jiao said greater effort has been put into meteorological and flood forecasting.

Jiao said relief workers have dug a one-kilometer-long drainage channel along the barrier lake.

"So far it has worked. The water level has fallen 0.81 meters," he said.

A massive rain-triggered mudslide hit Zhouqu in northwest China's Gansu Province Sunday, causing at least 702 deaths. Some 1,042 others were still missing as of Tuesday afternoon.