Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday inspected the 'quake lake' in Tangjiashan as it neared to overflowing.
He was visiting the disaster zone for the third time since the earthquake struck on May 12. It will be a whirlwind visit for Mr Wen as he is scheduled to meet Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Beijing today.
'Now is a critical moment for the Tangjiashan 'quake lake' and the most important thing is to ensure there are no casualties,' he said.
Authorities evacuated 10,000 more people from the downstream area yesterday, bringing the total to more than 250,000. Officials also enforced a traffic ban and were searching for residents who might have missed the evacuation or refused to move.
Mr Wen arrived in Mianyang city yesterday and flew to the lake by helicopter.
State television showed him, wearing a white shirt and sports shoes, inspecting the area.