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Acid leak in Hunan takes a heavy toll

Sulfuric acid leaked into the water supply from a chemical factory in central China, poisoning at least 26 villagers who have been admitted to hospital with nausea and swollen faces, authorities said yesterday.

An underground pipe broke at the factory -- part of the Xiaoping coal mine complex in Banqiao Township in Hunan Province's Chenxi County -- causing the chemical leak into groundwater supplies, said Yang Changyou of the Chenxi information office.

"There are 26 people seriously poisoned and hospitalized and more than 200 villagers are receiving free medical checkups, but no one died in the accident," Yang said.

The government was providing free bottled water and water from four fire engines, he said, adding that authorities were trying to track and contain the leak.

Some of the most polluted cities in the world are in China, where many rivers and lakes are toxic after decades of breakneck industrial and economic growth.

The State Environmental Protection Administration says about a quarter of all the water in China's seven main river systems is too toxic for human contact.

A man who answered a call to the Chenxi County People's Hospital said the hospital "was packed with poisoned villagers, most of them are suffering vomiting, swollen faces and other symptoms."

A 50-year-old construction worker in Banqiao said many residents were fleeing their villages because the chemical leak had polluted the water and air.

The man, surnamed Li, said villagers were suffering from bloated stomachs, swollen faces and itching skin. Li did not want to give his full name because he feared retribution by the local government.

The Beijing News said the local environment protection bureau had launched an investigation into possible water supply pollution after a retired coal miner in the area complained that his drinking water had turned yellow.

As many as 1,000 people have been poisoned, the paper said.
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