Troops work to drain quake lake

Troops are using heavy equipment to dig through debris at the lake

Chinese soldiers have been working all night to dig a channel to ease pressure on a "quake lake" in disaster-hit Sichuan province, state media said.

Experts fear the build-up of water in the new Tangjiashan lake could burst the barrier, endangering tens of thousands of people living downstream.

The lake was created by the earthquake that struck the region on 12 May.

On Monday, the official death toll from the earthquake rose to 65,080, with another 23,150 missing.

More than five million people remain homeless and the area is still being rocked by sizeable aftershocks.

Six people died and 300,000 more homes were wrecked by a strong tremor on Sunday.

Storms forecast

Satellite images reveal a lake forming in Beichuan County See full size images

Landslides have blocked dozens of rivers in Sichuan province, leading to the formation of new lakes, some of which have already engulfed villages.

Officials are particularly worried about the Tangjiashan lake, 3km (2 miles) from the devastated town of Beichuan.

Its water level is rising rapidly and is now only 26 metres away from the top of the landslide barrier.

Officials fear growing water pressure could burst the barrier, causing a torrential flood.

Earth-moving equipment has been airlifted into the region to help troops, who have also brought in explosives to shift debris, state media said.

Thousands of people have already been evacuated from vulnerable areas and an official said another 100,000 would have to be moved, Xinhua news agency reported.

Storms have been forecast for the region, potentially compounding problems as rain water drains into the lakes.

On Monday, China's top decision-making body said that the situation in Sichuan remained grim after what it called the country's "most destructive" tremor since 1949.

While the search for survivors would continue, efforts would now focus on resettlement and long-term reconstruction efforts, the Politburo said.

It called for more medical personnel to be sent to the region and for water, power and telecommunications to be restored as soon as possible.

Officials have said that reconstruction work in the area is set to take at least three years.

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Troops gather to start work on lakes