Everyday English:Flood discharge delayed to June 5

At 2 pm on Monday, the water level of the Tangjiashan barrier lake was 1.24 higher than the previous day. Experts say no rain is expected in the coming days, so the overflow of the lake may now happen on Thursday, and not Tuesday as originally predicted.

Tangjiashan lake is the largest of the 34 barrier lakes formed after the earthquake. The lake holds nearly 200 million cubic meters of water, and threatened to burst its banks and flood millions of people downstream.

Soldiers from the armed police and experts have been working for six consecutive days and nights, and dug out a diversion channel to reduce possible damage from the overflow.