More than 100 rotting pig carcasses discarded in the Qiantang River in China are threatening the health of 3 million locals, Chinese Global Times said on Monday.

Since last Wednesday, a salvage team has already removed 100 rotting pig corpses from the river, which provides drinking water for more than 3 million people living downstream.

The cause of the animals' deaths and why they were dumped in the river is unknown. A possible explanation is that the dead livestock was discarded by farmers living upstream.

Local authorities said the salvage operation had prevented large-scale pollution of the local environment and drinking water. A $70 reward has been offered for information about the polluters.

MOSCOW, March 15 (RIA Novosti)