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Hundreds of thousands of dead fish were left floating in a Chinese river after a chemical discharge, officials said on Wednesday, the latest industrial accident to pollute the country’s battered environment.
About 100,000 kilograms of fish were cleared from 40 kilometres of the Fu river in Wuhan, the capital of the central province of Hubei, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing “local government investigations”.
Xinhua said the probe found ammonia levels “far in excess of the national standard” at a drain outlet from Hubei Shuanghuan Science and Technology, a chemical manufacturer.
A local environmental official surnamed Xiao confirmed the Monday incident and said operations to clear the fish had been concluded in most of the affected areas.
The fish were mainly carp, chub and snakehead, he added.
Around 2,000 villagers nearby earn their living from fishing, according to Xinhua.
The incident was one of the most discussed topics on China’s hugely popular version of Twitter, Sina Weibo, on Wednesday.
“We have to protect our environment,” said one poster.
“Why hasn’t the person responsible for this resigned yet?” asked another.
The contamination came after more than 16,000 dead pigs were recovered from a river which runs through the commercial hub of Shanghai earlier this year.
The scandal highlighted China’s troubles with food safety, adding the country’s most popular meat to a growing list of items rocked by controversy.


Pollution kills hundreds of thousands of fish in Hubei river

A resident clears dead fish from a river in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei province on Tuesday after large numbers of dead fish began to surface early the day before. Photo: AFP

Chemical plants probe as piles of dead pigs and dogs found in Henan

Thousands of dead pigs were found in a river in Shanghai last month. Photo: AP

Will dumping of dead pigs make officials clean up their act?

Dongchuan district chief vows to investigate ‘milk river’ pollution

A villager carries buckets of water to be used for drinking from a white polluted stream in Dongchuan district of Kunming, Yunnan province. Photo: Reuters

China coastal waters suffering increased, 'acute' pollution

A Chinese boy swims in the sea by a rubbish-strewn beach along the sea coast in Anquan village, south China's Hainan province. Photo: AFP

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