GAS LEAKS AGAIN AT VISAKHAPATNAM PLANT! NEARBY VILLAGES EVACUATED, ASKED NOT TO GO HOME!

Hours after gas leaked in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam city that killed 11 people while 1,000 fell sick, gas fumed again after midnight on Friday. The second gas leak started coming out of the tank at LG Polymers chemical plant in Visakhapatnam leading to a mass evacuation of the neighbouring settlements. Villages in 2-3 km radius of the chemical factory have been evacuated.   

Currently, more than 50 fire staffers and a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are carrying out the rescue operations and are also investigating the cause of the leak. Meanwhile, one of the officials said that it is not safe for evacuees to return home for another two days. 

Meanwhile, Visakapatnam Police Commissioner RK Meena told ANI that people living beyond a 2-km radius of the chemical plant need not evacuate or come out of the roads. 

"No need to panic. It is still leaking. Gas vapours are coming out causing uneasiness to the local people. A five-kilometre radius from the spot, people are being evacuated now,” Vishakhapatnam Fire Officer Surendra Anand had said around midnight on Friday. 

He further stated that buses are being arranged to evacuate people to the homes of their relatives or friends outside the risk zone.

Earlier on Thursday, the gas leaked from the same chemical plant and killed 11 people. Also, more than 1,000 people fell sick after exposure to the toxic gas. 

10 more fire tenders, including 2 foam tenders, are present at the spot. Ambulances are ready for any emergency: Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer Sandeep Anand #AndhraPradesh https://t.co/ZCZCTROlCY

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2020