Japan on High Alert Fukuyama city of Japan is on high alert because of a cat. We would like to inform you that a cat fell into a tank in a plating facility in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, that contained toxic hexavalent chromium. Since then the factory workers are searching for that cat. Police are also keeping an eye on the entire matter.
A cat has put a Japanese city on high alert. Let us inform you that the cat vanished late at night after falling into a tank filled with hazardous chemicals.
The animal was last spotted in security film leaving a plating plant on Sunday. Authorities in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, said they had increased patrols and advised locals not to approach it.
Cat fell into cancer causing chemical
According to the authorities, a worker found claw marks on Monday that indicated the presence of a 3-meter-deep tank containing hexavalent chromium, a substance that causes cancer and can cause swelling and rashes if inhaled or touched.
The cat had not yet been located during a search of the neighborhood, according to a Fukuyama City Hall official, and it was unknown if the creature was still alive.
When staff returned to work after the weekend, they discovered a partially torn sheet covering the chemical vat, according to Akihiro Kobayashi, manager of the Nomura Mekki Fukuyama factory. Since then, he added, crews have been looking for the cat.
According to Kobayashi, factory workers often wear protective gear, and no health issues have been observed among them.
Contact with hexavalent chromium can kill
Perhaps the most well-known use of hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6, is as a carcinogenic substance in Julia Roberts’ 2000 film “Erin Brockovich”.
Based on a true story, this dramatization revolves around the titular worker’s fight against a utility company that he claims is tainting the water in a remote California village, raising the risk of illness and death for the residents.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that this material is bad for the respiratory system, skin, and eyes.
Workers may experience health risks from hexavalent chromium exposure, according to the CDC’s website. The dose, duration, and type of work all affect the exposure level.
Cat may die soon – expert
Experts are skeptical about a cat’s ability to survive for an extended period of time after being exposed to the chemical.
Cats lick their fur to clean it, breathing in the corrosive solution into their mouths, even though fur would shield the skin from immediate significant discomfort, according to Linda Schenk, a researcher at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet who specializes in chemical risk assessment.
Based on my estimation, the cat either passed away tragically or will soon pass away from chemical burns.
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