A river running through a commune in Nghe An Province have turned into shades of red and yellow as a result of mineral mining near its source. Mining has seriously polluted the water and the soil in this area.
The pollution of Nam Ton River, Chau Quang Commune, Quy Hop District, has become so bad that it is often referred to as the “red river” by locals because of its muddy-red appearance. The pollution from mining is severely impacting the surrounding environment. The soil has been tarnished, rice and other crops have withered, and little can be cultivated. The agriculture production of the commune has dropped year after year and aquatic species such as fish, prawns and crabs have all disappeared.
According to Nghe An’s Science - Technology and Environment Department, a sample of the commune water analysis showed that the water here is contaminated with mercury and other organic substances. Some samples showed an alarmingly high level of these substances.
Water samples taken from various wells in the area did not meet the required standards for everyday water usage and contained toxic chemicals and substances.
According to numbers from a local clinic, the number of people who turn up at the clinic has increased every year, going from 580 people in 2005 to 3,750 people in 2006. The numbers in 2007, 2008 and 2009 are respectively 4,800, 4,980 and 5,100.
The increasing number of people who come for diagnosis and treatment at the clinic (not including the number of people who went directly to the district hospital) is due to various reasons, but the most common is because their drinking water source has been heavily contaminated. Many locals, both adults and children, have been diagnosed with a number of skin and respiratory diseases. Some deaths were the result of cancer and people are extremely worried that it is attributed to the polluted water.
It was reported that there has been efforts from the provincial and district authorities in addressing this problem. They have been carrying out regular checks on the water source, informing and assisting locals in building water containers that are clean and meet the required standards and helping locals find clean groundwater sources. However, little has been done to reduce the consequences of water pollution caused by tin mining at the upper region of the rivers.
Locals living in Chau Quang Commune continue having to deal with the contaminated water on a daily basis.
Many rice fields cannot grow and have turned yellow because of mineral mining.
Nam Ton River’s water is heavily contaminated.