A total of 197 people have been arrested in China for spreading rumors online about the recent stock market crash and fatal explosions in Tianjin, according to state news agency Xinhua.
A journalist and stock market officials are among those arrested, Xinhua said. It gave no other details.
Chinese shares fell by nearly 8% after a week of volatile trading that spread fear to global markets.
The Tianjin explosions killed 150 people – with 23 still missing.
A total of 367 people remain in hospital after the August 12 blast at a Tianjin warehouse where large amounts of toxic chemicals were stored. Twenty are in critical condition, according to Xinhua.
Separately, the UK’s Financial Times says Chinese leaders feel they mishandled their stock market rescue efforts.
The publication, quoting an account of a meeting of senior regulatory officials on August 27, said the government had decided to abandon attempts to boost the stock market and instead step up efforts to punish people suspected of “destabilizing the market”.
Chinese authorities tightly control information online and have previously prosecuted internet users for spreading rumors.
The rumors described by the latest statement include reports that a man had jumped to his death in Beijing due to the stock market slump and that as many as 1,300 people were killed in Tianjin blasts, Xinhua said.
The news agency said “seditious rumors about China’s upcoming commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II” were also among the offences.
A journalist was also arrested along with several stock market officials, according to a Xinhua report. The journalist, Wang Xiaolu, is accused of “spreading fake information” about the market slump, the report said.
Xinhua said Wang Xiaolu confessed that he “wrote fake report on Chinese stock market based on hearsay and his own subjective guesses without conducting due verifications”.
In 2013 China introduced a possible three-year sentence for spreading rumors – the sentence was supposed to apply to anyone who posted a rumor that was reposted 500 times or viewed 5,000 times.
China has ordered the evacuation of residents within a 2 miles radius of the Tianjin blast site over fears of chemical contamination.
The evacuations came as police confirmed the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide was found near the site.
A man was found alive 200ft from the blast core, Xinhua news agency said.
Eighty-five people are now known to have died and hundreds were hurt in the giant blasts in the north-eastern Chinese port on August 12.
People sheltering at a school used as a safe haven since the disaster have been asked to leave wearing masks and long trousers, reports say.
Anti-chemical warfare troops have entered the site.
The People’s Daily newspaper tweeted that they had been sent to handle highly toxic sodium cyanide which had been found there.
The discovery was confirmed by police “roughly east of the blast site” in an industrial zone, state-run Beijing News said.
Photo Xinhua
Officials had until then only confirmed the presence of calcium carbide, potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. Calcium carbide reacts with water to create the highly explosive acetylene.
Officials have so far insisted that air and water quality levels are safe.
Some fires have continued to smolder and at least one reignited on Saturday. Xinhua said several cars at the site had “exploded again”.
Of the 721 people injured, 25 are in critical condition and 33 are serious.
At least 21 firefighters are among the dead and an unknown number remain missing.
Dozens of relatives of the missing tried to disrupt a news conference given by officials on August 15, demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.
The operators of the Tianjin site have been accused of violating safety rules.
China’s government has ordered officials to make nationwide checks on dangerous chemicals and explosives and to “crack down unwaveringly on illegal activities to ensure safety”.
Tianjin explosions’ death toll has risen to 44 as more than 500 people were injured.
Twelve firefighters were among the dead, China’s official Xinhua news agency said as it reported a doubling of the death toll following two major explosions in the northern port city.
The blasts happened in a warehouse storing “dangerous and chemical goods” in the port area of Tianjin.
The explosions caused a huge fireball that could be seen from space.
Buildings within a 1.5 miles had windows blown out, office blocks were destroyed and hundreds of cars burnt-out.
Images on Chinese media showed local residents and workers fleeing their homes, some of them covered in blood from broken glass and flying debris.
As of 12:00 local time, 44 people had died and a total of 520 people had been hospitalized, including 66 in a critical condition, Xinhua reported.
The first explosion occurred at about 23:30 local time on August 12, followed seconds later by another, more powerful blast and a series of smaller explosions. The impact could be felt several miles away.
The China Earthquake Networks Centre said the magnitude of the first explosion was the equivalent of detonating three tonnes of TNT, while the second was the equivalent of 21 tonnes.
State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said a shipment of explosives had detonated but this has not been confirmed.
Senior managers of Ruihai Logistics, which owns the warehouse where the explosion happened, are being questioned by authorities, state media report.
China National Radio also said cracks were visible in buildings near the site of the blast.
Several tower blocks near the port area are without power, CCTV added.
Tianjin, home to some 15 million people, is a major port and industrial area to the south-east of the Chinese capital, Beijing.
Huge explosions have hit the city of Tianjin in northern China, reportedly injuring at least 300 people and causing at least seven deaths.
The blasts occurred when a shipment of explosives blew up in the port city at about 23:30 local time, the Chinese state media reports.
Pictures and video shared on social media showed flames lighting up the sky and damage to nearby buildings.
Shockwaves could apparently be felt several miles away from Tianjin.
The first explosion was followed by another 30 seconds later.
An official Chinese seismic agency said the force of the first explosion was equivalent to three tons of TNT, the second was 21 tons.
Further blasts were subsequently triggered nearby, Xinhua state news agency said.
China National Radio said cracks were visible in buildings near the site of the blast.
Several tower blocks near the port area are without power, reported the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
The blasts took place in a warehouse area storing dangerous goods in Tianjin’s Binhai development zone, Xinhua said.
Tianjin, home to some 15 million people, is a major port and industrial area to the south-east of the Chinese capital, Beijing.
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
