'Poisoned' Nigeria village to be dug up
ZAMFARA State. June 7. KAZINFORM Heavy machinery is to be used to excavate the soil in a Nigerian village where about 100 children have died from suspected lead poisoning; Kazinform refers to BBC News.
Officials say the top 5cm (2in) of soil in the remote northern village of Yar'Gailma is to be dug up.
Twenty-five children from the village have been hospitalised with another 80 set for treatment in the coming days.
At least 163 people have died in the area after residents began digging for gold in areas with high levels of lead.
Health authorities have set up two camps in Zamfara State to treat people who are suffering the symptoms of lead poisoning.
The BBC's Haruna Shehu Tangaza in Zamfara State says that houses in the village will not be demolished - their floors are to be covered in cement to protect residents from lead poisoning; Kazinform cites BBC News. See www.news.bbc.co.uk for full version.