Chinese poison slick 30 km from Russian city

0 Comments | AFP, December, 2005

KHABAROVSK, Russia (AFP) — A toxic river spill caused by a blast in a Chinese chemical plant last month was less than 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the far eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk, officials said.

The benzene-contaminated slick in the Amur river, initially carried by the Songhua river in China before moving into Russia on Friday, was expected to hit the city around 10:00 pm (1200 GMT) Wednesday, the Ria-Novosti news agency cited Russia's emergency situations ministry as saying.

The slick, which continues around 200 kilometres (125 miles) upstream of the city of 600,000 inhabitants, was expected to take several days to pass though Khabarovsk.

Thousands of Chinese laborers, assisted by Russian military helicopters and trucks, have been working...