At least 13 people have died due to chemical gas leaks on Thursday from the LG Polymers plant in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. All emergency services have reached the occasion and more than 300 people have been hospitalized. Police say hundreds of people have been evacuated from nearby areas.

When the styrene gas leaked from the plant in the early hours of Thursday, the people of the nearby villages were sleeping. Sreejana Gumala, commissioner of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, wrote on Twitter, "This gas has been inhaled through hundreds of people. Due to this people are either in a state of unconsciousness or are having problems in breathing. ''

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner RK Meena has told BBC Telugu that three people died near the plant and five died during treatment at King George Hospital. The cause of the gas leak has not been ascertained till now. An FIR has been registered against the management of the plant.

Doctors at King George Hospital say 86 people have been put on ventilators.

The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a grant of Rs 1 crore to the families of those killed in the accident. At the same time, people who have been put on ventilator in critical condition have announced to help them ten lakh rupees.

The government has set up a committee to investigate the cause of the accident.

Here, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has taken notice of the case and issued a notice to the Central Government and the State Government, asking how permission was given to build a plant in the residential area?

Visakhapatnam police assistant commissioner Swaroopa Rani told news agency Reuters in the early hours of the incident that at least nine people had died and 300 to 400 people had been admitted to hospitals.

Swaroopa Rani had said that 1500 people have been evacuated from nearby areas. The Municipal Corporation says that the area of ​​about three kilometers near the plant is full of risks.

The police have evacuated five nearby villages and taken them to Meghadri Gedda and other safe places. Many have complained of eye irritation and difficulty in breathing. Especially the elderly and young children are having trouble breathing.

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi tweeted on this accident, "I have spoken to the officials of MHA and NDMA who are keeping an eye on the accident. I wish everyone safe and well in Visakhapatnam."

This chemical plant belongs to LG Polymers India Private Limited. The plant, built in 1961, belonged to Hindustan Polymers, which was acquired by the South Korean company LG in 1997.

Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister Gautam Reddy said in a conversation with BBC Telugu that it is a morning incident at 3:30. He said, "The factory was open after the lockdown. Workers were preparing to open the factory when the accident occurred. We are trying to understand what really happened. At first glance, it seems that the management rules of the company have not been followed.''

He further said, "After the lockdown, the government has issued guidelines to open factories especially those containing harmful products. If the company is found guilty of not following these guidelines, strict steps will be taken against it.

"Till now 90-95 percent leakage has been controlled," he said. In the next one hour it will be completely overcome. The gas leak has occurred for one kilometer. Employees were present inside the factory when the accident took place. We have not received any information related to them yet. We are trying to know these things that the people who have inhaled the gas with breath, what will be the effect after a long time? ''

India's Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy has expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. He said, "I have spoken to the Chief Secretary and DGP of Andhra Pradesh about the situation there." The NDRF team has been asked to provide all necessary relief. I am constantly monitoring the situation. Hundreds of people have been affected due to this unexpected and unfortunate accident. ''

Industry Minister of Andhra Pradesh Gautam Reddy has said that the Korean Embassy has been informed about the incident. He said, "We expect the company to show responsibility for the incident as it would in a European Union country or in the United States. The responsibility rests with the company."

The District Magistrate has reported that the accident occurred when work was resumed at the plant after lockdown. "Initial efforts to stop the gas leak have not been successful. It will take two more hours to control it," he said.

The Indian Navy has given five portable multifeed oxygen manifold sets to the King George Hospital for gas victims. The technical team of Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam is present at the King George Hospital to assist in the quick installation of these sets.

What is styrene gas?

Styrene is originally used to make polystyrene plastics and resins. It is a colorless or light yellow flammable liquid. It has a sweet smell. It is also called styrol and vinyl benzene. Through benzene and ethylene, it is produced on a large scale in industrial quantities. Styrene is used to make plastics and rubber. These plastics or rubber are used to make food containers, packaging, synthetic marble, flooring, disposable tableware and molded furniture.

How does exposure to styrene affect humans?

If steam of styrene is mixed with air, it causes irritation in the nose and throat. This causes cough and sore throat and also causes water to fill in the lungs. If styrene reaches the body through excessive amount of breath, it can cause styrene disease. In this, problems like headache, nausea, fatigue, vertigo, confusions and upset stomach are started. These are called central nervous system depression. In some cases, exposure to styrene can lead to abnormal heartbeat and to coma-like conditions.

Styrene can also enter the body through the skin. If a large amount of it reaches the body through the skin, then conditions such as central nervous system depression arising through breathing can arise. If styrene reaches the stomach, similar effects are seen. Exposure to styrene spray may cause mild skin irritation and slight to severe eye irritation.

Numerous studies in epidemiology have shown that exposure to styrene may also increase the risk of leukemia and lymphoma. However, this thing has not yet been fully proved.

Dr Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS based in Delhi, said that "the health of people exposed to styrene gas will not be affected for a long time. Nor are the diseases caused by this gas considered fatal."

But the biggest question is, can ordinary people also come in contact with it? Unless you work in the places where it is produced, then there is less chance of you coming into contact with it on a large scale. Common people may be exposed to very small amounts of styrene, due to the remaining plastic or naturally occurring in the environment. However, such a small amount is not likely to affect health.

How dangerous is styrene gas?

Styrene is a type of hydrocarbon. It is used in making plastics, paints and tires etc. Smelling or swallowing styrene affects the central nervous system. Do people exposed to styrene complain of difficulty in breathing, headache, weakness and bad effect on lungs? According to experts, it can cause cancer.

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