VLADIVOSTOK, December 23 (RIA Novosti) - The toxic slick that formed in the Amur River after an explosion at a Chinese petrochemical plant and arrived in Russia's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk early Thursday is now passing through city, the local department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said Friday.
In the past 24 hours, 72 water tests have been taken on the Amur and have shown that the concentration of toxic chemicals is below the maximum allowable level.
Khabarovsk Territory Governor Viktor Ishayev said the situation was complicated, but under control.
"We should estimate the damage done to the river and the region's ecology and economy," he said. "The construction of a water supply station and the installation of powerful sewage treatment units in the city are priorities now."
The local emergencies commission said supplies of running hot and cold water would not be cut off in the city, which is home to 600,000 people. Russian Presidential Envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District Kamil Iskhakov said drinking water was being supplied to Khabarovsk citizens.
Iskhakov inspected laboratory works in person Friday. He also took a helicopter ride over two arms of the Amur, the Pemzenskaya and the Kazakevicheva.
"The dams constructed in these rivers are protecting Khabarovsk from intoxicated water," he said.
Benzene tests will be sent to Moscow Saturday, the head physician with the Khabarovsk center for hygiene and epidemiology said at a session of the local emergencies commission Friday.
