UPDATE - Toxic gas leak kills 13 in southern India

UPDATED WITH DEATH TOLL AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS

By Cheena Kapoor

NEW DELHI (AA) - At least 13 people died, with hundreds of others hospitalized, after a toxic gas leak from a chemical plant in southern India on Thursday, officials said.

The leak occurred at Vizag port near Andhra Pradesh state's Visakhapatnam city.

The incident, which took place around 3 a.m. local time (2130GMT), has been traced to a manufacturing facility owned by LG Polymers, the Indian manufacturing plant of South Korean conglomerate LG ChemLtd.

Among the dead are two senior citizens and an eight-year-old girl. Hundreds of others were found unconscious on the streets. Five villages in the vicinity of the gas plant have directly been affected.

Horrific images from TV footage showed dead animals and people on roads, and kids who have lost track. A large number of animals including pet dogs, livestock, and birds have died, said local government officials.

The tragedy is being compared to the 1984 Bhopal disaster which killed 3,787 people while exposing 0.5 million people to highly toxic gases. The tragedy is considered as the world’s worst industrial disaster.

In the wake of the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an urgent meeting with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

“Spoke to officials of MHA [Ministry of Home Affairs] and NDMA regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam,” he tweeted.

B K Naik, a district hospital coordinator told local media that at least 1,000 people had been sent to different hospitals. Many others may be unconscious in their homes, he added.

Rescue authorities began evacuating people from a 3-kilometer (1.9-mile) radius.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, meanwhile, left for Visakhapatnam. He will be visiting the King George Hospital, where most of the affected are being treated.

“Right now the gas has been neutralized. One of the antidotes is drinking a lot of water. An investigation will be carried out to see how this happened,” the state's police chief, Damodar Goutam Sawang, said.

Meanwhile, LG Chem said the gas leak has been brought under control and it has launched an internal probe to try to find the exact cause of the deadly incident, as an Indian official reportedly warned of taking criminal action against the company.

- What caused the leak?

South Korean battery maker LG Chem Ltd. entered India through Hindustan Polymers after 100% takeover, and was renamed as LG Polymers India Private Limited (LGPI) in July 1997.

The LGPI says it is one of the leading manufacturers of polystyrene and expandable polystyrene in India.

The alleged gas -- styrene -- is a possible carcinogen as determined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Chronic exposure to styrene in humans could result in depression, central nervous system dysfunction, hearing loss, and effects on kidneys and blood.

Police said the gas leaked from two 5,000-tonne tanks, which remained unattended since March. It led to a chemical reaction, and heat was produced inside the tanks causing the leakage, according to assistant commissioner of police, West Zone Visakhapatnam.

The plant was preparing to open after 40 days of nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, as the government eased restrictions on factories.

India has 53,045 confirmed virus cases including 1,787 deaths thus far, according to John Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Centre