Quake Lake China

On May 26, 2008, Chinese engineers and military experts began surveying a "quake lake" that has built up behind a dam formed from mudslides following the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.

Authorities want to use dynamite to destroy the dam. They fear that if left on its own, the dam will eventually collapse under the increasing weight of water building behind it.

The hope is that by creating a spillway, the lake can be drained in a controlled manner, limiting the destruction it will cause.

Authorities have identified more than 30 of these "quake lakes" in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Fast Facts

1. Built up behind a mudslide dam
2. Created by the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake
3. More than 30 such lakes have been identified
4. Authorities fear the dam will collapse
5. Will attempt to create a spillway to gradually drain the lake

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