VISAKHAPATNAM: As per the reports, at least 11 persons, including two senior citizens and an 8-year-old girl, died and over 5,000 people fell sick after an alleged gas leak from a chemical plant in Vizag on Thursday early morning. As per reports, the leakage happened around 3 am at LG Polymers industry at RR Venkatapuram near the Naiduthota area close to Gopalapatnam.
What leaked and killed people is called styrene gas. Styrene is a popular gas used in the plastics engineering industry. Obviously, styrene gas is poisonous. It is also inflammable it could have triggered explosions at the Vizag plant. When inhaled, the styrene gas attacks the central nervous system of humans. It also damages nostrils, eyes, skin, and throat.
Soon after the matter came to light, local police rushed to the area and launched an evacuation of the locals. The exact cause of the incident is yet to be identified. The incident happened when people were asleep. Hundreds of people, within a radius of 5 kilometers from the plant, ran outdoors in panic at the toxic fumes spread in venkatapuram and nearby villages. Several people collapsed unconscious on the road.
Out of the 200 admitted in different wards of king George hospital (KGH), 45 are children. Out of them, six kids are in critical condition. The doctor is using pieces of equipment used by navy personnel. Through this six members can be provided oxygen at a time. About 200 doctors are on duty as of now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Union home minister and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to take stock of the situation in Vizag.
Vizag district collector V Vinay Chand rushed to the spot and he is monitoring the situation. People who were facing breathing problems are being provided with oxygen support, said the collector.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is also scheduled for the situation.
Meanwhile, A senior district official said, a technical glitch in the refrigeration attached to the two styrene tanks at a chemical plant near hears caused the vapor leak.
Andhra Pradesh government announces a compensation of Rs 1 crore each to the kin of those killed in Vizag gas leak.
The scenes at Venkatapuram were heart-wrenching with people lying on the roadside and crying. No alarms were founded by LG polymers soon after the gas leaked which meant the people were caught and unawares.
The tragic gas leak brings back a worst memory of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy. In the Bhopal gas tragedy, thousands of Indians lost their lives in what is considered the world was an industrial disaster. It took place on the night of December 2-3, 1984 at the union carbide Indian limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Over 500,000 people were exposed to methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other chemicals. The toxic substance made its way in and around the inhabitations located near the plant. Nearly 4,000 people including children, were killed in the incident.
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