KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — The Johor government said they will need two more days to clean up a 200m stretch of the polluted Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang as victims continue to seek medical treatment for inhaling its toxic fumes.
The state Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal said they have cleaned up 1.3km of the polluted sections of the river as of yesterday evening with the remainder to completed in two days.
“About 550 metric tonnes of earth and polluted sediments as well as 700 metric tonnes of polluted water have been collected as of 4pm yesterday,” Shahruddin said in an Utusan Online report today.
The Malay daily also reported that another 143 victims of the pollution were warded yesterday.
Sahruddin said 36 cases were referred to hospitals in districts outside Johor Baru, while 29 cases were in hospitals outside of Johor.
He also said that 108 victims have been allowed to return home after receiving treatment.
“There are still seven patients left in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and are in stable condition,” Shahruddin said.
