Death toll from toxic waste rises to 10 in Cote d'Ivoire

The death toll triggered by the toxic waste dumped around Cote d'Ivoire's commercial capital Abidjan in August has risen to 10, the statistics released by the Health Ministry on Friday showed.

According to the ministry, there are still 69 in hospital in a serious condition and more than 100,000 have so far sought medical help because of dyspnoea and other symptoms.

A Dutch-chartered tanker unloaded hundreds of tons of waste containing hydrogen sulphide in densely populated areas in Abidjan on Aug. 19-20.

The clean-up operation launched by the Cote d'Ivoire government on Sept. 17 was expected to take at least two months.

Source: Xinhua