Chinese engineers move to empty "quake lakes"

By Lucy Hornby

GUANZHUANG, China (Reuters) - Chinese engineers are starting to make headway against lakes that have formed behind landslides, threatening yet more devastation on the earthquake-stricken valleys downstream.

Last week's big tremor changed the landscape of northern Sichuan province, as mountainsides were obliterated along the Longmenshan fault.

In Hongguang, in northeastern Sichuan, the earthquake caused both sides of a valley to slide, burying three villages and 900 people. The Qingzhu River is trapped behind.

"The mountains merged," said Gao Xiao, who barely escaped a landslide that roared past her house.

The Qingzhu landslides have formed five lakes, the biggest of which is almost 30 meters deep. A flood control team monitors the natural dams constantly, for fear they will burst and unleash a wall of water on the valley below.

"It's a lucky thing we haven't had a downpour recently," said Lu Lujun, an official with the Guangyuan county propaganda department.

The water level fell by about 10 cm (4 inches) on Thursday, as it was released through a sluice, he said.

Similar efforts are underway at 33 other quake lakes in the province, state media reported.