Orange Smoke Over Guangdong's Daya Bay Turns Night Sky Red, Sparking Public Debate

Photos of Daya Bay circulated on mainland Chinese and Hong Kong social media on the night of November 12, showing a large amount of unidentified smoke billowing from a factory, turning the night sky orange-red.

November 14, 2024 – Photos of Daya Bay circulated on mainland Chinese and Hong Kong social media on the night of November 12, showing a large amount of unidentified smoke billowing from a factory, turning the night sky orange-red. This sparked public speculation about a potential accident at the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant.

Photos from various angles show thick yellow and orange smoke over Daya Bay, with what appears to be flames within the smoke. Concerned citizens wondered if there had been an incident at the nuclear plant.

Huizhou Fire Department reported that the event was due to an abnormality in a petrochemical plant’s production workshop, where emergency release and burning procedures were implemented. They confirmed there was no fire or casualties.

On the morning of November 13, the Huizhou Fire and Rescue Brigade stated that at around 2 a.m. on November 12, there was a process fluctuation at the Shell petrochemical plant in Daya Bay, Huizhou, which led to emergency shutdown and flaring procedures. They reported no fire or injuries.

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau also clarified overnight, confirming that the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant was operating normally with no explosion.

The Bureau’s Facebook post on November 12 stated that, despite rumors circulating on social media, they had received no notification of any incident. Verification with the Guangdong Provincial Nuclear Emergency Committee Office confirmed normal operations at the nuclear plant.

Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, which began operations in 1994, is located about 50 kilometers from Hong Kong and is mainland China’s first large commercial nuclear plant. According to Hong Kong News Network, Daya Bay Nuclear Plant is approximately 20 kilometers from the Daya Bay Petrochemical Zone in a straight line, or 42 kilometers by road.

Despite official reports, online discussions persist:

"Classic CCTV line: 'Harmful gases are harmless to your health.'"

"With the economy in decline, companies are drastically cutting safety, environmental, and quality investments, leading to frequent accidents."

"Air purifier in action—avoiding daytime disturbances, so they do good deeds under the cover of night."

"They just issued directives, and Guangdong is quick to follow them overnight."

"Let me guess, which foreign force is behind this again?"

Editor: Li Mu’en