Armed police and PLA soldiers are to dynamite the sides of the Tangjiashan lake in Beichuan County, which is in danger of bursting. Created by the Sichuan earthquake - the lake is rising dramatically.

Professionals and materials are airdropped for operations to blow a barrier lake at Tangjiashan, Beichuan County, which was formed by landslides after the May 12 earthquake and now blocks the river Jianhe. (Xinhua Photo)

A Mig-26 helicopter carries a large bulldozer from Leigu County near Tangjiashan, which could otherwise only be reached on foot.

Helicopters also air-dropped professionals and materials for the operation onto the dam of the lake.

Experts say the lake is about 800 meters long and 600 meters wide.

A group of 200 armed policemen arrived on foot at the Tangjiashan lake area early Monday morning, and set to work immediately.

The lake dam is in danger of bursting as the water level rose by nearly 2 meters on Saturday to 723 meters.

The Tangjiashan quake lake is one of the 35 such lakes created when rivers were blocked by landslides. The lake now holds more than 128 million cubic meters of water.

(CCTV May 27, 2008)