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Kenyan officials have appealed for help to find looted sodium cyanide containers from an overturned lorry near Nairobi.
Sodium cyanide, a highly toxic chemical, can kill if swallowed or inhaled in small amounts and poses a major environmental risk, health officials warned. After the lorry overturned late on Saturday, several containers were taken by people who rushed to the scene.
The government urged people to avoid the site on the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway, while the US embassy advised its citizens to take a detour. The accident occurred about 35km (22 miles) from Nairobi, causing a spillage on the tarmac.
It is unclear what caused the lorry to overturn, and authorities have not released details about the driver’s condition. The national environmental agency urged the public to alert the nearest police station if they spot the containers. “The public is also cautioned against coming into contact with the contents of containers, which are white substances in pellet form,” the agency said.
Kenya’s health ministry said the chemical should only be handled by people wearing protective gear. “Sodium cyanide interferes with oxygen use, leading to rapid death if ingested or inhaled in high doses. Symptoms include headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, and convulsions,” it said. Sodium cyanide can contaminate soil and groundwater and can last in the environment for a long time, accumulating in the food chain.
Local media reported that while some people carted away containers of the chemical, others who came with jerry cans left without taking anything after realizing the substance was of no use to them.
NNEOMA UDENSI
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