Toxic spill averted as storm hits N. Korea
Source: Xinhua |
August 9, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MUIFA, the typhoon now a tropical storm, skirted the Shandong Peninsula and landed on the coast of North Korea last night.
Shandong in eastern China evacuated more than 360,000 people yesterday as Muifa approached its coastline.
Meanwhile, fears of a toxic chemical spill appeared to have eased after a breached dike guarding a chemical plant was reinforced.
Waves as high as 20 meters broke the dike in Dalian in northeastern Liaoning Province and threatened to hit the compound of the Fujiahua Chemical Plant where unspecified chemicals were held. Local residents were told to evacuate.
Authorities in the province said that the dike had been temporarily sealed after workers dumped rocks and concrete to repair the breach.
As of 3pm two breaches, which measured at least 20 to 30 meters long, had been blocked, but workers still fear strong waves might wash away the loosely piled rocks and breach the dike again, said a government spokesman.
Authorities have not specified which chemicals may be a risk of leaking from the plant.
The chemical plant is a producer of paraxylene, a petrochemical used to create raw materials for the production of polyester film and fabrics. The chemical is carcinogenic.
The plant is removing chemicals from tanks near the dike, said the spokesman.
A total of 490,000 people had been evacuated in Liaoning and Shandong as of yesterday afternoon, as Muifa continued to move along the country's east coast.
More than 20,000 fishing boats were called back to harbor by early yesterday, Shandong authorities said.
No casualties in the province have been reported.
According to the provincial meteorological observatory, the storm, which weakened from a powerful typhoon on Sunday, unleashed torrential rains in the coastal areas of Shandong, soaking as many as 85 counties and villages with precipitation levels up to 100 millimeters.
A total of 756 temporary shelters have been set up in Liaoning's border city of Dandong, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said.
The shelters can accommodate more than a million people.
All passenger liners shuttling between Dalian and Yantai in Shandong suspended services yesterday and 6,000 military personnel are ready to conduct rescue and repair work after the storm passes, the headquarters said.
Shandong in eastern China evacuated more than 360,000 people yesterday as Muifa approached its coastline.
Meanwhile, fears of a toxic chemical spill appeared to have eased after a breached dike guarding a chemical plant was reinforced.
Waves as high as 20 meters broke the dike in Dalian in northeastern Liaoning Province and threatened to hit the compound of the Fujiahua Chemical Plant where unspecified chemicals were held. Local residents were told to evacuate.
Authorities in the province said that the dike had been temporarily sealed after workers dumped rocks and concrete to repair the breach.
As of 3pm two breaches, which measured at least 20 to 30 meters long, had been blocked, but workers still fear strong waves might wash away the loosely piled rocks and breach the dike again, said a government spokesman.
Authorities have not specified which chemicals may be a risk of leaking from the plant.
The chemical plant is a producer of paraxylene, a petrochemical used to create raw materials for the production of polyester film and fabrics. The chemical is carcinogenic.
The plant is removing chemicals from tanks near the dike, said the spokesman.
A total of 490,000 people had been evacuated in Liaoning and Shandong as of yesterday afternoon, as Muifa continued to move along the country's east coast.
More than 20,000 fishing boats were called back to harbor by early yesterday, Shandong authorities said.
No casualties in the province have been reported.
According to the provincial meteorological observatory, the storm, which weakened from a powerful typhoon on Sunday, unleashed torrential rains in the coastal areas of Shandong, soaking as many as 85 counties and villages with precipitation levels up to 100 millimeters.
A total of 756 temporary shelters have been set up in Liaoning's border city of Dandong, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said.
The shelters can accommodate more than a million people.
All passenger liners shuttling between Dalian and Yantai in Shandong suspended services yesterday and 6,000 military personnel are ready to conduct rescue and repair work after the storm passes, the headquarters said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
