Swollen rivers backed up by landslides from last week's earthquake pose a very great danger of flooding, Chinese officials warned Thursday.

More than 30 new bodies of water had been created by the clogged rivers, threatening downstream communities where nearly 1 million people live, if the mud gives way, Yun Xiaosu, deputy minister of land and resources, said. Aftershocks and the June rainy season are expected to cause more landslides.

This can all cause new catastrophes, Yun told the Washington Post.

The known death toll from the massive quake surged to 51,151 people, an increase of nearly 25 percent from the previous toll. More than 29,000 others are listed as missing, and 288,431 are known to be injured.

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