Search work went on Tuesday for 62 containers, some carrying dangerous chemicals, that fell into the Yangtze River Monday night. Continuous water quality tests at the ports along the river had not shown signs of contamination as of Tuesday, the government of Yichang City said in a press release.

This photo taken on August 11 shows containers on the Yangtze River. Search work went on Tuesday for 62 containers, some carrying dangerous chemicals, that fell into the Yangtze River Monday night. [Xinhua]

A cargo ship carrying 176 huge containers of various goods tilted at 11:20 p.m. Monday when it was trying to make a turn at the lower reaches of the Three Gorges Dam in the Yangtze River within the administration of Yichang.

A total of 62 boxes, including 12 containing corrosive potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate, and potassium hydroxide, fell into the river.

Workers had retrieved two containers as of Tuesday.

A preliminary investigation blamed the accident on improper navigation and insufficient fastening of the containers, according to the maritime bureau of the Three Gorges.

The Yichang city suspended the drinking water supply to about 100,000 residents in the morning for fear of water contamination. Water supply then resumed at about 11 a.m..

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2009)