A 60-meter-wide breach in a reservoir dike in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is being narrowed thanks to efforts by over 2,000 soldiers, armed police and militia in the past two days.

By 10 p.m. on Friday, the water gushed out from the reservoir, known as "Bayi" or "August 1," at a slower speed of 30 cu m per second, and the water level in the reservoir fell to 2.4 m, said Zhang Qingli, Commander of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation (XPCC).

"The situation is brought under control," said Zhang.

The dike burst took place at Wednesday night, or the eve of the traditional Chinese lunar New Year.

By now, all 13,800 endangered residents have been evacuated and are properly accommodated. No casualties have been reported though the waters submerged 8 companies of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corporation (XPCC).

The reservoir was built in 1957 with a design capacity of 30 million cubic meters.

A panel sent by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has arrived at the flood-hit area.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2004)