An Anhui city government will reward 5,000 yuan (US$624) to anyone who can find two lost radioactive metals, identified as cesium-137, Anhui media reported today.

 

The public became concerned when it was reported that a cement plant in Suzhou had lost two radioactive metals.

 

The government has notified residents through radio and television to protect themselves. The local police will award 5,000 yuan, hoping that residents can offer clues.

 

Radioactive materials can destroy a person's cell structure and cause serious diseases, such as leukemia and skin cancer. It also may cause gene mutation, which can affect pregnancies.

 

Every year, radioisotopes are stolen or lost about 30 times in China, said Yao Xiaoqing, a Jiangsu official.

 

In November, a radioactive metal mistaken for scrap metal killed an elderly woman and injured three other people in Heilongjiang Province.

 

(Shanghai Daily April 17, 2006)