CLEAN UP

W.V. Spill Now a Disaster

Cuts water for 300,000.

Memo to West Virginians: don't drink the water. A chemical spill in a river has led to a tap water ban for up to 300,000 people in West Virginia, and has shut down bars and restaurants. The incident has been a declared a disaster by the federal government and Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. The contaminated water is reportedly giving off a licorice-like smell in the towns. Symptoms for those who drink the water include severe burning in throat, severe eye irritation, non-stop vomiting, trouble breathing or severe skin irritation such as skin blistering. “Right now, our priorities are our hospitals, nursing homes, and schools," the governor said in a statement.