"Now it's a critical moment for the Tangjiashan quake lake, and the most important thing is to ensure there is no casualty of the people," Wen, who visited the artificial lake formed by the massive 12th May temblor, was quoted as saying by news agency on Thursday.

It's the premier’s third visit to the quake struck areas since 12th May.

"We must prepare for dealing with the worst-case scenario but strive for the best results," Water Resources Minister Chen Lei said, as two weeks of preparations were about to be put to the test.

The lake was created when a quake-triggered landslide blocked the Jianjiang river, and the water level has steadily risen ever since.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the 8.0-magnitude earthquake rose to 69,127, with another 17,918 missing, the government said on Thursday.

The mud and rock dam was in danger of collapsing under the pressure of the mounting body of water, and seepage was already occurring, a spokesman for "lake control headquarters" was quoted as saying by news agency.

Officials have pinned their hopes on a channel dug by soldiers last week and designed to drain enough water to keep the lake from bursting its banks.

Even as an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted Sichuan's Qingchuan County on Thursday, China Earthquake administration said.

A total of 10,419 aftershocks have been registered in the affected area since 12th May.

Source: By DDNEWS