China's Ministry of Water Resources publicized Tuesday the name list of safety liability officials for 486 reservoirs.

An official with the ministry said all-level government administrative executives are held responsible for the safety of local reservoirs.

He said the ministry would supervise the publication of safety liability name list for regional dams and make alterations if there is any personnel transfer.

He also urged local water resources authorities to ensure the reinforcement and safety of the reservoirs.

China has more than 85,000 reservoirs, of which 30,000 have serious problems, including 200 large and 1,600 medium-sized reservoirs.

On April 19, 1,700 people had to be evacuated from four villages after a dam on the Xiaohaizi Reservoir in northwestern Gansu Province cracked, causing water to flood the surrounding area and destroying a highway bridge.

The reservoir, with a capacity of 3.5 million cubic meters, was initially built in 1958, and had undergone several renovation and expansion projects, the most recent from 2002 to 2004.

Downpours earlier in the month and the extra rainfall were blamed as a factor in the 15-meter-long crack in the 10-meter-high dam.

Eighteen people, including 12 kindergartens, died in May 2004 when a cofferdam on the Dalongtan Reservoir on the Yangtze River, at Enshi City, Hubei Province, burst and flood waters swept away their minibus.