Anthrax burial site flooded in Jewish autonomous district
KHABAROVSK. Aug 12 (Interfax) - An animal burial site has been flooded near the village of Leninskoye during heavy rains and rising subterranean water levels, Jewish autonomous district Vice Governor Gennady Antonov said.
"The site was flooded to the depth of nearly 80 centimeters. The animals were buried there in 1922, 1955 and 1980," Antonov said at a meeting chaired by Russian Minister of Far Eastern Development - Presidential Representative to the Far Eastern Federal District Viktor Ishayev in Khabarovsk on Monday.
The anthrax burial site is located three kilometers away from the Amur River. There is a dike between the site and the river.
"There is no water run-off, and people living in the vicinity drink water from wells with depths of up to 80 meters," Antonov said.
According to acting head of the Federal Veterinarian and Phytosanitary Supervisory Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) department in the Khabarovsk territory and the Jewish autonomous district Alexander Chuprov, the regional government has been informed about the need for animal disease preventive measures.
"The flooded animal burial site has been examined and samples of soil and water have been taken to be tested for the anthrax virus," Chuprov said.
All cattle in the Jewish autonomous district are also being inoculated from anthrax, he said.