At least 11 people have died and about hundreds more have been hospitalised after a major gas leak at an LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam earlier today. Emergency services have evacuated villages and cordoned off a three-kilometre radius.
PM Narendra Modi has taken stock of the situation and assured all possible assistance to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Catch the latest updates here:
PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting today morning to take stock of the steps being taken in response to the gas leakincident. He discussed at length the measures being taken for the safety of affected people as well as for securing the site affected by the disaster.
LG Polymers India, the company behind the deadly styrene gas leak in Visakhapatnam that left at least nine dead and hundreds hospitalised, is a subsidiary of leading South Korean chemical firm LG Chem that had entered India in 1997 through the acquisition of a local company.
The Vizag plant manufactures polystyrene (PS) that finds wide utility in the food-service industry as rigid trays and containers, disposable utensils, and foamed cups, plates and bowls.
The company, according to its website, was established in 1961 as 'Hindustan Polymers' by the Shriram Group for manufacturing PS and its co-polymers at Visakhapatnam. (PTI)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy today announced a committee to probe into the mishap and also said the government would talk to the LG Polymers management seeking job for the kin of the deceased in any of its businesses.
Speaking to reporters after conducting a review meeting, Reddy also announced Rs 10 lakh each to those undergoing treatment on ventilator support and Rs 25,000 to those who took treatment as out-patients after developing health complications due to inhalation of the styrene vapour. (PTI)
In the wee hours of the morning on May 7, a tragedy unfolded after gas leaked from the LG Polymers plant at Gopalapatnam on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam.
The gas leaked from LG Polymers, a styrene plant owned and managed by South Korean chemical company LG Chem Limited.
The gas leak from a chemical factory in Visakhapatnam today disrupted the movement of around 45 trains - nine Shramik Specials and the rest goods carriers - as rail workers suffering from irritation in their eyes and breathlessness halted work.
Train services came to a halt at the Simhachalam North Railway Station (SCMN) in Visakhapatnam, near the chemical factory, between 8:35 hours and 12:00 hours, leading to several trains being stranded and prompting authorities to divert some others. (PTI)
PM Narendra Modi has already spoken to CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and is closely monitoring the situation. I urge local BJP karyakartas to continue helping the needy and support the administration.
Dead cattle affected by a gas leak at the LG Polymers Plant is pictured in Vishakhapatnam (Reuters)
Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) SN Pradhan said 500 people belonging to 200-250 families living in 3 km radius have been evacuated to the safer places.
After the request of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani gave the orders to chemical companies in Vapi to send the chemical by road to Daman: Ashwani Kumar, Secretary to Gujarat CM (ANI)
500 kg of Para-tertiary butyl catechol (PTBC) chemical will be airlifted from Daman by Andhra Pradesh government for neutralizing the gas leakage in Visakhapatnam plant: Ashwani Kumar, Secretary to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani (ANI)
Right to life of the victims has been grossly violated. At a time when human lives across the country are at stake due to the spread of coronavirus and everyone is forced to stay indoor, the gruesome tragedy has come as a bolt from the blue for the people, the National Human Rights Commission said in a statement. (PTI)
