China evacuates 190,000 from earthquake area

Youxian: China has evacuated over 190,000 people from an area threatened by landslide-blocked rivers, the Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Residents of Youxian were ordered to move to higher ground as hundreds of soldiers dug dams and channels to reduce pressure on Fu River and prevent it from overflowing.

"We don't know how long they'll have to stay up there. It depends on the situation with the dam," an official said.

A deadly earthquake that hit Sichuan province this month left thousands dead, and has also made "earthquake lakes" that threaten to burst and flood surrounding areas.

The official death toll from the quake is 68,858 and is expected to rise, with 18,618 people still missing.