Hundreds battle river oil spill in China
Hundreds of workers in northern China are battling to contain an oil spill that has left a 20-mile (33-kilometre) stretch of river polluted with diesel.
An unknown amount of oil has poured from a China National Petroleum pipeline into the Wei River in Shaanxi province since a construction accident on Wednesday, the state-run China News Agency said.
The pipeline links the capitals of northwest Gansu province and central Henan province.
A report from the official Xinhua News Agency put the amount of oil leaked at about 40,000 gallons (150 cubic metres).
Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang told the local government to keep the spill from reaching the Yellow River, the most important river in northern China and a key symbol in China.
Xinhua reported that the company said the leak was under control, while the China News Agency report cited Shaanxi Television as saying 20 miles (33 kilometres) along the Wei were polluted by the leak.
More than 700 people were working to contain and clean up the oil-affected area, the report said.
