Toxic slick floating through Chinese city, heading for Russia
Last Updated Thu, 24 Nov 2005 11:45:26 EST
CBC News
A slick of flammable nitrobenzene, 80 kilometres long, has begun making its way along the Songhua River through Harbin, a northeastern Chinese city of 3.8 million people.
The city's water supply, which comes from the river, has been shut down and bottled water is being supplied until the toxic slick leaves the city.
Toxic slick flows along Songhua River, Harbin, China.
On Thursday, the provincial governor said the system should be up and running again by Saturday. He pledged to drink the first glass of water produced as a sign of confidence in its safety.
Still, crowds of people swelled into Harbin's bus and train stations on Thursday, trying to leave the city until the water crisis is over.
As the slick approached, the municipal government began to dig more wells to gather water from underground sources in order to supply hospitals and fire hydrants.
The Chinese government and local authorities have come under fire for not revealing the existence of the nitrobenzene slick until this week. It originated from a chemical plant explosion almost two weeks ago in the city of Jilin, 200 kilometres to the southeast.
The slick is expected to continue floating along the Songhua and into neighbouring Russia by means of the Heilongjiang River.
Several riverside towns and cities in Russia are on alert, including the city of Khabarovsk, located about 700 kilometres from Harbin.
Russians are stocking up on mineral water and officials are digging emergency wells in case the nitrobenzene is still dangerous by the time it arrives, in about two weeks.
25 Nov 2005, 3:52 am
