Probe into pig carcasses
- Source: Global Times
- [02:33 March 18 2010]
- Comments
Workers carry dead pigs removed from the Qiantang River on Tuesday. Experts are investigating if the carcasses triggered any health problems. Photo: CFP
Authorities in East China are investigating how at least 550 dead pigs ended up in the estuary of the Qiantang River in Zhejiang Province over the past week.
The pig carcasses began to appear in the lower reaches of the river on March 9, said Huang Haizhen, manager of a logistics company in charge of clearing the waterway.
On Wednesday alone, workers retrieved 20 dead piglets from the water, she said.
The carcasses had been buried in pits about five meters deep as soon as they were recovered and the company had reported the situation to local agricultural and breeding authorities.
Fu Xianhua, an official with the agricultural bureau of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang, said ex-perts and officials were on their way to the upper reaches of the river to investigate where the pigs came from and to ascertain whether there was any outbreak of illness.
Supplies of drinking water to Hangzhou had not been contaminated, Hang said.
Xinhua
