In Zambia, concerns are growing about the long-term effects of an acid spill from a Chinese-owned mine. This environmental disaster has contaminated a major river, potentially endangering millions of people as signs of pollution have been found over 100 kilometers (60 miles) downstream. The spill, which occurred on February 18, involved the collapse of a tailings dam that holds acidic waste and heavy metals from a copper mine in northern Zambia. As a result, around 50 million liters of waste flowed into a stream connected to the Kafue River, Zambia’s most crucial water source.

According to investigators from the Engineering Institution of Zambia, the toxic waste has caused severe damage to the ecosystem. Ongoing efforts are being made to assess the full impact of this incident, including the harm it has inflicted on local communities and their livelihoods, as well as the political implications surrounding the involvement of a Chinese-owned mine.

Images from the aftermath of the disaster reveal large quantities of dead fish along the river banks, while residents have reported their livestock being killed and crops ruined due to the contamination. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has advised the public against consuming any fish from the polluted Kafue River. Fully understanding the extent of the environmental, economic, and social devastation remains a challenge at present.