More than 2,000 soldiers, police and militia toiled away in sub-zero temperatures to plug the 30-meter (90-foot) breach in the No. 81 Reservoir in the largely Muslim Xinjiang region, Xinhua news agency said.

No casualties were reported, though water spewing from the dyke forced the evacuation of 8,000 people, Xinhua reported.

Up to 20,000 people were affected by the breach, it said.

A panel sent by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has arrived at the flood-hit area, Xinhua said.

The temperature in the flooded area was around minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 Fahrenheit) at night and the whole area has been coated with heavy snow, forcing the rescue teams to dig through frozen mud to block the breach, Xinhua said.

TERRA.WIRE