China's Harbin endures third day without water, environmental fears

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2005

HARBIN, China (AFP) — Millions of residents in China's Harbin city endured their third full day without running water due to a toxic chemical spill, as concerns grew over the long-term impacts of the disaster.

Harbin's taps remained turned off as an 80-kilometer (50-mile) slick of the carcinogen benzene and nitrobenzene that was 33 times above national safety levels flowed slowly through the city along the partially frozen Songhua river.

While the government tried to reassure Harbin's 3.8 million urban residents that water supplies would resume quickly and safely, many people were still evacuating the city and engineers were continuing to sink dozens of wells.

Millions of bottles of water were also being trucked in to replenish supermarket and shop shelves...