Looks like the the toxic waste that was spilled into the drinking water in the Chinese city of Harbin is spreading northwards along the Songhuar and Amur rivers. One Russian city has already announced plans to shut down its drinking water supply:
Oleg Mitvol, deputy head of the Russian environmental monitoring agency Rosprirodnadzor, told the BBC that in Khabarovsk “the water supply will be shut off, because the purifying equipment cannot deal with benzene”.
He said heating would not be affected but tap water would be cut for a few days and fish from the Amur would also be contaminated.
“We expect the spill to arrive in Russia on 26 November and in Khabarovsk on 30 November-1 December,” he said.
However, Chinese officials said they expected it to take two weeks to reach the Amur river.
I wonder whether the Russian government will press a claim for damages? (Update 25/11: Yes, if this senator is to be believed).
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