Toxic leak reaches Chinese city
November 24, 2005
A huge swathe of toxic water has reached Harbin in north-eastern China after drifting down the Songhua river which is the city's main water source.
Massive amounts of the chemical benzene were released by an explosion 11 days ago at a chemical plant in Jilin.
Mains water supplies remain shut off, and the authorities have warned people to stay away from the pollution.
A BBC correspondent in the city says Harbin seems to be well stocked with bottled water.
The BBC's Louisa Lim reports from the banks of the Songhua at Harbin that the water does not look more dangerous and there is always a possibility that people upstream would not have known that there was anything wrong with the water.
Of particular concern is the plight of farmers and people living in between the cities who would normally use the river water for irrigation, for washing, for drinking, eating and making food, the BBC correspondent says.
Reports on Thursday said the contaminated body of water had levels of benzene more than 30 times higher than is considered safe.
China's environmental watchdog had found levels in the river 108 times the safe limit on Wednesday.
Authorities shut off water to Harbin - a city of more than three million people - after confirmation that the accident 11 days ago had sent pollution downstream towards the city.
The authorities are also digging new wells to augment supplies.
Neighbouring Russia was urgently seeking information from China on the spill as officials predicted it would take two days to pass through Harbin.
A state of emergency will take effect in Russia's eastern Khabarovsk region on Friday, amid fears of possible contamination of the Amur river, officials from the emergency ministry say.
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