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Chinese authorities investigate mass fish death near Tianjin explosion site Chinese authorities investigate mass fish death near Tianjin explosion site
(about 14 hours later)
Chinese authorities have denied that the deaths of thousands of fish near the scene of a catastrophic industrial disaster are linked to last week’s chemical explosions in Tianjin which killed at least 114 people.Chinese authorities have denied that the deaths of thousands of fish near the scene of a catastrophic industrial disaster are linked to last week’s chemical explosions in Tianjin which killed at least 114 people.
Photographs showing the surface of the River Hai coated in dead sticklebacks spread on social media sites on Thursday, adding to fears that military clean up teams had failed to prevent chemicals leaking out of the blast site.Photographs showing the surface of the River Hai coated in dead sticklebacks spread on social media sites on Thursday, adding to fears that military clean up teams had failed to prevent chemicals leaking out of the blast site.
Related: Tianjin blasts: Communist party insists there will be no cover-up as anger growsRelated: Tianjin blasts: Communist party insists there will be no cover-up as anger grows
Authorities say around 40 types of chemicals were being stored at the warehouse at the centre of the explosions including ammonium nitrate and large quantities of sodium cyanide. Authorities say about 40 types of chemicals were being stored at the warehouse at the centre of the explosions, including ammonium nitrate and large quantities of sodium cyanide.
However, Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said no toxic levels of cyanide had been found in the river during tests on Thursday afternoon. The fish were found around 6km from the blast site. But Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said no toxic levels of cyanide had been found in the river during tests on Thursday afternoon. The fish were found about 6km from the blast site.
Deng Xiaowen, the head of Tianjin’s environment monitoring centre, vowed to investigate the fish deaths but claimed “it was not uncommon for fish to die en masse in local rivers during summer, due to poor water quality.” Deng Xiaowen, the head of Tianjin’s environment monitoring centre, vowed to investigate the fish deaths but claimed “it was not uncommon for fish to die en masse in local rivers during summer, due to poor water quality”. He was quoted by the Global Times as saying: “When the temperature rises, oxygen will evaporate and fish may die of hypoxia.”
“When the temperature rises, oxygen will evaporate and fish may die of hypoxia,” he was quoted as saying by the Global Times. Once the precise cause of the fish deaths was established it would be announced to society immediately”, Deng added. Zhang Yunli, the head of a fishing association in Tianjin, told the Global Times the deaths could be the result of a “change in water’s salinity, which happens every year” .
Once the precise cause of the die-off was established it would be announced to society “immediately,” Deng added. A military official claimed the fish – which he named as the stickleback or tiddler – were “very sensitive to the environment”. A week after the disaster, military teams are still struggling to decontaminate the area.
Zhang Yunli, the head of a fishing association in Tianjin, told the Global Times the deaths could be the result of a “change in water’s salinity, which happens every year.”
A military official claimed the fish – which he named as the stickleback or tiddler - were “very sensitive to the environment”.
One week after the disaster, military teams are still struggling to decontaminate the area.
The site has been surrounded with “cofferdam” barriers and drains have been filled with cement, in an attempt at stopping contaminated water seeping out into the sea, according to Xinhua.The site has been surrounded with “cofferdam” barriers and drains have been filled with cement, in an attempt at stopping contaminated water seeping out into the sea, according to Xinhua.
Wen Wurui, Tianjin’s environmental chief, denied that the spilled chemicals would “significantly influence human health” but admitted many challenges remained. Wen Wurui, Tianjin’s environmental chief, denied that the spilled chemicals would “significantly influence human health” but admitted many challenges remained. He told state media: “We can’t say when the cleanup work in the blast centre will be finished.”
“We can’t say when the cleanup work in the blast center will be finished,” he told state media.