Hundreds of dead ducks found in China river

Carcasses found in Nanhe river days after discovery of thousands of dead pigs dumped in waterway in Shanghai.

dead ducks
The cause of duck deaths is still under investigation but local official exclude the possibility of infectious disease [Reuters]

More than 1,000 dead ducks have been found dumped in the Nanhe River in China’s southwestern Sichuan province, days after the discovery of thousands of dead pigs that were dumped in a waterway in Shanghai, state media reported.

The dead ducks floating in the Nanhe river in Pengshan County had been pulled out, a local official said, quoted by China’s state Xinhua news agency on Monday.

Nanhe River is not a source of drinking water for local residents, the report said.

A local official said the duck carcasses had been disposed of safely and would pose no threat to humans and livestock along the river, Xinhua reported.

“We have arranged personnel to fish out dead ducks at the site immediately according to our emergency measures to make a comprehensive cleanup. After that, (we disposed of the dead ducks) with harmless treatment under the guidance of the livestock bureau and relevant technology requirements,” said Zhang Mingzhe, director of flood control office in Pengshan County.

The cause of duck deaths is still under investigation but another local official said the possibility of infectious disease has been initially excluded.

“(The reason for the dead ducks) could come from feeding stuff or the weather. Infectious disease has been initially excluded as there has been no massive disease spread in our area or even in Sichuan province since this year,” said Li Hongji, deputy director of livestock bureau in Pengshan County.

The earlier large-scale dumping of thousands of pig carcasses in a river in China’s financial hub, Shanghai, has set off a wave of public outrage over food safety as authorities continue cleanup efforts.

Source: News Agencies