China's main quake lake expected to shrink as drainage speeds up

MIANYANG, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The water level in Tangjiashan quake-formed lake in the southwest China's Sichuan Province is expected to fall on Tuesday, as outflow outpaces influx three days after drainage efforts began.

Drainage of the quake lake through a manmade spillway speeded up to 1,760 cubic meters per second at 9:30 am on Tuesday, far faster than the estimated influx of 110 cubic meters per second, the Tangjiashan lake emergency headquarters said.

Water flow in the lower reaches of the lake, in Beichuan County, reached 2,240 cubic meters per second.

As of 9 am, the lake's water level stood at 742.18 meters, compared with the 742.96 meters reported at 8 pm on Monday.

Faster drainage of the lake has eased the peril on the lower reaches, but the emergency headquarters is still on alert of further landslides and has in the meantime begun to evacuate some of the emergency workers, mostly soldiers with the People's Liberation Army and the armed police.