Vizag gas leak toll goes up to 12, hours later fresh leakage forces another evacuation

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, May 08, 2020: Death toll in the gas leak at LG Polymers chemical plant in Visakhapatnam has gone up to 12 with another person dying on Friday. Meanwhile, several hours since the initial leakage, vapourised gas started leaking again from the chemical plant in Vizag on Friday, IndiaToday reported.

 

70 fire department personnel and experts from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) are stationed on ground to monitor the situation.

Here are the top developments from Vizag gas leak:

Death toll in the devastating gas leak that brought back memories of the Bhopal gas tragedy has now gone up to 12. Another person died on Friday.

325 people are still undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the region. Over 800 people were hospitalised on Thursday after the massive gas leak. The poisonous styrene gas spread over a 5-km radius in the vicinity of the LG Polymers plant, affecting around 2,000 locals.

70 firemen and personnel of the NDRF and SDRF have now been stationed at the chemical plant in Visakhapatnam to monitor the situation.

Early morning on Friday, a day since the initial leakage, vapourised gas was again seen leaking from the LG Polymers plant, triggering panic. People started coming out of their houses fearing the gas coming out from LG Polymer.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a clarification and said, "There are reports that there was another leak. This is clarified that this was a minuscule technical leak. It’s required to bring the container in control. It’s been controlled&process of neutralisation is already in process.Situation is under control."
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Local authorities have removed more people away from 5-km radius of the LG Polymers plant. Nearby villages were evacuated on Thursday itself. Following the fresh leakage, more people have been evacuated.

Andhra Pradesh government had on Thursday requested Gujarat to send defusing material that can neutralise the effects of the poisonous industrial gas. A special plane with NDRF team along with 500 kg of 4 Tertiary Butylcatchol (PTBC) has landed at the Vishakapatnam airport. The material will be used to defuse the gas.

Former bureaucrat EAS Sarma has shot a letter to CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy over the leakage of styrene from LG Polymers and asked how could the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) give clearance to the unit’s expansion in 2019. He has said in his letter, APPCB did not take clearance either from the state government or from the Union Ministry of Environment.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a proper investigation of the concerning gas leak in Vizag. "We obviously send our condolences to the victims and hope for quick recovery to those who have been impacted. And I think these kinds of incidents need to be fully investigated by the local authorities,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken cognisance of the Visakhapatnam gas leak incident. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel will take up on Friday the matter titled "In re: Gas Leak at LG Polymers Chemical Plant in RR Venkatapuram Village Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh".

Hours after the styrene gas leak around 2.30 am on Thursday at the LG Polymers plant in RR Venkatapuram village, scores of people could be seen lying unconscious on sidewalks, near ditches and on the road. The chilling scenes reminded people of the Bhopal gas tragedy.