The barrier lake at the mountainous Lijiashan village Photo: Zhang Han & Wang Lingyu
The barrier lake demolition plan on Niulan River had to be shelved on August 6 due to a rainstorm last night when six people out of 30 households were killed by the landslides.
The earthquake in Ludian County triggered landslides which have blocked rivers and created rapidly growing bodies of water, threatening survivors of the disaster that has killed at least 589 people and injured over 2,400 as of August 6.
The water level of the lake at the mountainous Lijiashan village, Ludian County was still increasing, but at a lower speed as new barrier lakes took shape on the upper reaches.
"Nearly 30 households below the lake were destroyed by the landslides. Six villagers were killed and the others survived," Hu Xiaobing, deputy chief of Ludian County told the reporters.
The explosives that soldiers laid on the hill yesterday were crippled by the rainstorm.
Some 4,200 residents living on the lower reaches of the Niulan River had been evacuated, said Sun Huaikun, a technical specialist in charge of the barrier lake response.
Sino-US.com reporter Zhang Han saved a Shanghai journalist when they went downhill to Longquan Village on the evening of August 5.
It was so dark and steep that the journalist missed his footing and fell over, hanging off the cliff only with one arm. Zhang reacted first to seize his arm and pulled him out of danger with the help of another man.