Environment boss quits after spill

A resident carries water containers in Dalianhe, in China's northeast Heilongjiang province.

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BEIJING, China (CNN) -- China's environmental chief has resigned in the wake of a two-week crisis over a toxic spill that forced the shutdown of drinking water supplies to millions of Chinese and sparked concern in Russia.

Xie Zhenhua was replaced by Zhou Shengxian, the former director of the State Forestry Administration, according to a report on Friday from the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing an announcement issued by the State Council.

The change reportedly was planned, but it was unclear whether it was hastened by a major chemical spill that polluted a river in the northeast of the country last month, resulting in a four-day water shutoff in Harbin, home to millions.

The high-level reshuffle follows growing criticism of the government's handling of the aftermath of the explosion at a petrochemical plant that caused 100 tons of cancer-causing benzene to pour into the Songhua River on November 13. Most of the blame was aimed at officials in Jilin province for failing to report it.

The 80-kilometer (50-mile) spill flowed downstream and reached Harbin last week. Officials cut off the city's water service for four days, and the incident sparked widespread unease among residents, who were not notified of the potential health hazard for days following the blast.

Xie had been director of the State Environmental Protection Administration for four years. His resignation may have been at Beijing's behest, so the government would appear to be taking decisive action about the crisis in an effort to appease public anger, and so that Zhou would be able to start his duties with a clean slate.

Meanwhile on Friday, five more Chinese cities prepared to stop drawing water from the benzene-laden Songhua River on Friday, as officials warned of long-term dangers from the toxin. (Full story)

And in Russia, residents stocked up on bottled water, as the chemicals slowly moved toward the border.

The spill is expected to reach Russia on about December 11, Natalya Zimina, spokeswoman for the Khabarovsk regional government in the border area, told The Associated Press.

She said authorities would shut down the water supply in Khabarovsk, a city of 580,000 people, for about two days if toxin levels were dangerous.

"We're preparing for the worst if we need to switch off the water," Zimina said.

CNN Beijing Bureau Chief Jaime FlorCruz contributed to this report.