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Fears of Cyanide Pollution Rise After Tianjin Blasts
A man walks past the charred remains of new cars at a parking lot near the site of an explosion at a warehouse in northeastern China’s Tianjin municipality. (AP/Ng Han Guan)
Dangerous level of the chemical sodium cynaide have been found at wastewater monitoring facilities in the disaster-stricken city of Tianjin almost five days after deadly explosions killed at least 114 people.
The blasts reduced an industrial estate on the outskirts of the city into a “debris-strewn wasteland,” reports The Guardian:
At a press conference on Monday morning, Bao Jingling, the chief engineer from Tianjin’s environmental protection bureau, said excessive levels of the toxic chemical had been detected in surface wastewater at the blast site. The highest levels detected were 27 times acceptable limits.
Prosecutors have been ordered to investigate possible dereliction of duty and abuse of power that may have contributed to Wednesday night’s blasts. “We must thoroughly investigate [the incident] and hold accountable all those responsible,” state media quoted Premier Li Keqiang as saying.
“We must give an answer for families of the victims, an answer for all residents of Tianjin, an answer for all Chinese people, and an answer for history.” …
About a hundred people whose residences were damaged in the disaster protested on Monday outside the Tianjin hotel where officials have held daily news conferences, calling for compensation from the government.
Read more here.
—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
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Source: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/fears_of_cyanide_pollution_rise_after_tianjin_blasts_20150817/
