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Chinese villagers flee county in radiation scare, return amid official assurances of safety

Chinese villagers flee county in radiation scare

Freaking News 24/7 20 July 09 BEIJING — They fled in droves, terrified by rumors of a radiation leak, with many jumping empty-handed into motorcycle taxis and farm trucks they hoped would take them out of harm’s way. While most of the residents of Henan province’s Qi county had returned by Monday amid government assurances it was safe, last week’s mass exodus  — some residents estimated that hundreds of thousands of people left — illustrates how quickly rumors can spread and cause alarm in China……………..
………….. alarm spread as people began hearing word that explosions occurred at the irradiation plant……………..
……..Rumors can run rife in China, where many do not trust local officials and the government-controlled media because they downplay or in some cases boycott negative news fearing it will trigger social unrest.

Chinese villagers flee county in radiation scare, return amid official assurances of safety

July 20, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, environment | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive