LHASA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A barrier lake has formed after a landslide hit the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Wednesday morning, local authorities said.

The landslide struck during the early hours of the day near a village in Menling County, blocking the waterway, according to the regional water resources department.

At noon, the water level in the lake had risen 40 meters, and the amount of water reached 150 million cubic meters, the department said.

Authorities in Tibet have launched an emergency response, calling for the safe evacuation of local residents. A work team has arrived at the site.