China’s top health official today said the pollution of the Songhua River by a chemical spill was a big problem which has highlighted the country’s need to have contingency plans for emergencies.

China’s biggest oil company apologised for an explosion that polluted a north-eastern river with benzene and prompted the government to cut off running water to 3.8 million people, while another blast in the country’s south-west raised fears today of a second toxic spill.

A SLICK of river-borne toxins from a chemical plant explosion flowed into a major Chinese city yesterday as the authorities faced increasing criticism of their handling of the situation.