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Steam leaves the LG Polymers industry after a major chemical gas leak in the village of RR Venkatapuram, Visak …read more
VISAKHAPATNAM: In a pre-dawn disaster, at least 11 people, including two minors, died and hundreds of others fell ill when styrene vapors leaked from a chemical plant in a densely populated area of Gopalapatnam in Andhra PradeshVisakhapatnam on Thursday.
Styrene is a liquid hydrocarbon, which can leak at high temperatures and evaporate into the atmosphere.
The condition of 22 people, including 10 children, is said to be critical. Authorities fear the number of victims will increase. Women and children were the most affected.
The leak occurred at the LG Polymers unit in the RR Venkatapuram village between 2.30 am and 3 am and spread rapidly within a radius of approximately 3 km to 5 km, affecting at least five villages. In the afternoon, the company had been booked for guilty manslaughter.
The Andhra Pradesh government evacuated 10,000 people living near the plant. Sources said 5,000 people complained of rashes on the body and burning sensations in the eyes. At least 800 people were transferred to hospitals. Many have been discharged. However, up to 316 people were still hospitalized.
The tragedy occurred one day when Visakhapatnam reported seven other positive cases of Covid-19. As the dense vapors spread, many broke through the containment zones to take refuge in safer places. The Gopalapatnam Society, just 1 km from the LG plant where the leak occurred, has been declared a Covid-19 red zone. When the leak occurred, many of the red light district were forced to run to other parts of the city.
LG Polymers, a subsidiary of LG Chemicals and part of the LG Group in South Korea, took over the old Hindustan polymers in 1997. LG Polymers’ Vizag plant manufactures plastics and plastic compounds such as polystyrene, EP (expandable polystyrene) and EPC. (improved plastic compounds).
Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan ReddyThose who rushed to the port city announced a thank you of Rs 1 crore each to the relatives of the deceased and a compensation package for the sick. He said that Arogyasri’s health insurance facilities would be extended to all those affected by the styrene leak.
Thousands of people, who woke up drowning on Thursday morning, were seen running before dawn to safe places and asking the police and disaster response teams for help. Some of them could not tolerate dense vapors and collapsed on roads, pavements, and open terrain. Some fell unconscious inside their homes. State transportation buses were also used to transport those affected.
Several cattle, dogs, cats, birds also collapsed on the roads, while the leaves of the trees were burned.
More than 25 ambulances and fire trucks, in addition to medical personnel from the Great Municipal Corporation of Visakhapatnam were involved in the rescue operations. The government ordered the opening of all private hospitals to deal with the emergency. At least 10 major hospitals, including King George Hospital, became emergency centers to treat people, who became unconscious and complained of shortness of breath, severe headache, and nausea.
The steam leak plugged within hours. Around 11 a.m., AP Police Chief Gautam Sawang said the steam had been “neutralized.”
LG Polymers started production after an interval of approximately 40 days after the relaxation of the blocking rules. Authorities said the leak occurred when management was preparing to begin operations.
A team from the Pune NDRF landed in the city, while ICMR appointed an expert medical team to study the health risks of styrene in people.
“We received information about the gas leak between 4 am and 4.30 am and deployed the police along with the ambulances. The exact cause of the accident has yet to be determined. We had evacuated more people from Venkatapuram and its surroundings, ”said collector V Vinaychand.
Union MoS home G Kishan Reddy said LG Polymers India had requested the airlift of 500kg of a special chemical from Daman Airport to Visakhapatnam, which will be helpful in avoiding unforeseen reactions due to the styrene gas leak. . The chemist has already been dispatched.
the National Commission of Human Rights it issued a notice to the state government while the AP Superior Court sent notices to state and central governments and released the hearing for next week.
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