South China Morning Post

September 29, 1998

SECTION: Pg. 8

LENGTH: 146 words

HEADLINE: Massive red tide threat

BODY:

Beijing faces the biggest red tide threat in recent years, official media reported yesterday. Based on aerial and satellite photographs, marine officials said they had found more than 3,000 square km of red tides in the Bohai Sea. The algae was expanding rapidly and heading south, the officials said. State Oceanography Bureau director Chen Mingjian said the red tides had grown from 2,000 sq km to 3,000 sq km in 10 days since they were found on September 18. Officials also detected another 2,000 sq km of ocean they suspected was also plagued by red tides, although they were unable to confirm it, Mr Chen said. Most of the red tides found were not toxic but could kill fish, officials said. The semi-official China News Service said the latest tides, and a similar one which hit Guangdong and Hong Kong in April, were both caused by pollution.