A toxic chemical spillage in the heart of China’s coal country has poisoned drinking water for millions and sparked a public outcry across the country after local government officials took almost a week to reveal the accident.
The provincial government led by acting governor Li Xiaopeng, whose father was China’s premier at the time of Tiananmen Square crackdown, took six days to issue a public warning after nine tonnes of aniline entered the Zhuozhang river last Monday, state media reported
The city of Changzhi, the coal town in Shanxi province where the spill occurred, yesterday ordered 112 chemical plants to close for checks on “hidden dangers”. Downstream cities are taking emergency measures to avoid using the poisoned water, including shutting off water supplies in some areas.