HARBIN, China, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Residents of the northeast Chinese city of Harbin have been panic-buying bottled water and other drinks after the city turned off the water for four days.
The sudden announcement of a water shutoff beginning at noon Tuesday sparked rumors that the Songhua River, which supplies the city's water, had been contaminated because of a Nov. 13 chemical plant explosion 230 miles upriver in the city of Jilin, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
"People started to pour in from 1 p.m.," said a supermarket employee. "By 3 or 4 p.m., all the drinks were sold out."
Prices of bottled water reportedly doubled as residents bought whatever they could lay their hands on.
Sources at the Harbin environment bureau said the local river water was of normal quality. The Jilin environment bureau said the chemical plant explosion barely affected the water quality there.
China Daily reported that the government shut off the water in order to do maintenance and repairs on the main water pipes.
