There was about 700 tons of the deadly chemical sodium cyanide stored at the warehouse that blew up. Environmental authorities set up 27 additional water monitoring spots, three of which were found to contain excessive cyanide, with some samples containing 27.4 times more than the standard. Now, it’s time of protests. Hundreds of residents displaced by huge explosions last week demanded compensation on Monday. About 200 emotional protesters gathered outside a hotel where officials were briefing journalists. “This is not a demonstration. This is simply our only channel to attract the government’s attention. Up until now they have not acknowledged us at all,” said Li Jiao, one of them. The protesters chanted “buy back (homes)” and carried signs that read “fix our homes, that’s our demand.”
