China investigates as truckloads of dead deformed pigs are dumped in rivers that supply drinking water to villages 

• Rotting corpses of animals repeatedly dumped in major rivers
• Three separate incidents in recent weeks spark pollution fears
• Pigs, geese and sheep amongst animals discovered floating in streams
• Sickened locals complain of 'intolerable smell' and risk of sickness 

By LAURIE HANNA FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 22:36 EST, 17 March 2015 | UPDATED: 23:38 EST, 17 March 2015

Chinese authorities are investigating after a spate of incidents in which scores of dead animals, mostly pigs, were dumped in rivers.

In one incident, in Fuijan province, the rotting corpses were only discovered when villagers complained that their drinking water tasted strange. 

Horrified sanitation workers discovered the rotting corpses of 55 pigs, geese and sheep after locals complained about the taste of their water in the village of Jinli in south-eastern China.

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Dumped: Rotting corpses of 55 pigs, geese and sheep were discovered near the village of Jinli in south-eastern China after locals complained about the taste of their water

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Disgusting: Locals said the rotting corpses were responsible for an 'intolerable smell' and that they had polluted the water nearby

Last week, around 50 dead pigs were seen floating in filth on Wulong river, a sidestream of the Yangtze river, reported The People's Daily Online.

Most of the pigs were highly decomposed. Local authorities in Yichang city, Hubei province, in Central China, are investigating the incident.

And on March 10, more than 50 dead pigs were seen floating on Lingwang Stream in Luo Yang Town in Hui’an County, Guangdong Province, in the south of the country. 

Locals said the rotting corpses were responsible for an 'intolerable smell' and that they had polluted the water nearby. Authorities rushed to clean up the scene and buried all the dead animals. 

In Jinli, villager Shuang Hsu, 59, said: 'We began to notice our water was tasting a bit strange but we had no idea it was because of this.

'When we found out we were absolutely sickened. The water from the river runs directly to our village and is our main source of water.'

Medics were called in to test the villagers' drinking water for contamination and the locals for any signs of sickness. No signs of illness have been found yet.

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Sickened: A spokesman for the sanitation department said: 'Most of the animals seem to have been either been born with deformities and were killed by the farmers or had contracted illnesses and were then killed'

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Rancid: In the town of Jinli, villager Shuang Hsu said: 'We began to notice our water was tasting a bit strange but we had no idea it was because of this'

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Contamination: Medics were called in to test the water amid fears that the corpses could lead to water pollution and illness

A spokesman for the sanitation department said: 'When officers arrived at the river, they were greeted with a horrific sight and smell.

'Most of the animals seem to have been either been born with deformities and were killed by the farmers or had contracted illnesses and were then killed.

'They were all dumped here.

'The proper disposal of dead animals usually involves burying them en masse underground to prevent the spread of disease or contamination of important water sources.

'These farmers are in flagrant abuse of the rules and are endangering lives.'

Police say they are now looking for the farmers involved.

A police spokesman said: 'The communities around here are fairly small so there is only a certain number of suspects. When we have found them, they will be heavily fined.