China is considering building a dam to reduce the impact of a river-borne toxic spill expected to arrive in a Russian city early next week, a government newspaper said today.

Another city in north east China has shut down a water plant on a poisoned river fearing contamination from approaching toxic chemicals, an official said today.

Residents of a town along a poisoned river in northern China today queued with jugs and buckets to get water from trucks after officials shut down running water to 26,000 people.

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.

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.