Google's aerial imagery shows the Binhai New Area of Tianjin after the blast. Fires after massive warehouse blasts in the northern Chinese port of Tianjin on Wednesday night are now "under initial control". (Photo/CFP)
The air and water quality in the blasts area in north China's Tianjin is being closely monitored, as on-site conditions are still unclear.[Special coverage]
"So far, the air quality near the blasts site has indicated normal, and might not cause harmful results to residents," Feng Yinchang, an environmental expert told a press conference Friday morning.
Some monitoring stations detected toluene, chloroform, methylbenzene and volatile organic compounds, all hazardous pollutants, from Wednesday night to Thursday noon, but the densities decreased because of winds blowing, Feng said.
As of Thursday noon, all toxic gas indicators were within normal range. The quality of air and water will continue to be closely monitored, Feng said.
Discharge into the sea was closed on Thursday morning and rainwater drainage pipes were also closed in the afternoon, said Wang Lianqing, a senior engineer with the Tianjin Association of Environmental Protection Industry.
All contaminated water has been contained within a sewage plant, said Wang, and the plant has adopted a biochemical treatment system to process the polluted water.
An expert team was working on-site to assess the best plan, he added.
