Gas Leak: NDRF, NEERI to send expert teams for assessing ground situation in Vizag

A five-member team of National Disaster Response Team (NDRF) specialising in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) disasters will assess the ground situation in Visakhapatnam following a gas leak in a chemical factory there and provide the required assistance to Andhra Pradesh government in tackling it.

Another expert team from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in Nagpur has also been roped and rushed to Visakhapatnam.

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The dispatching of the teams came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation along with Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top officials of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

These teams will support the state government in the management of the crisis on the ground and also take measures for resolving the short term as also long term medical impact of the leak.

NDMA member Kamal Kishore told a press conference here that it was a chemical disaster that happened in LG Polymers, which is located 20 km from Visakhapatnam, and the response requires expertise on chemical, chemical management, medical as well as on evacuation sides.

The five-member team led by Anupam Srivastava based in Pune will be flying from their base in Pune assess the ground situation and give any assistance to the state government that is required. The CBRN unit of the NDRF is based in the 5th Battalion located in Pune.

NDRF Director General Satya Narayan Pradhan said the NDRF Regional Response Centre located in Visakhapatnam was roped in at around 5:45 AM after the initial evacuation process initiated by local administration soon after people reported about the gas leakage at 2:30 AM. "Initially people were affected in terms of throat irritation, skin irritation and toxic gas smell. The initial response was from local administration and fire services...We undertook two tasks, which were neutralizing the leakage inside the factory and evacuation of villagers near the factory," he said.

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He said the local administration had evacuated 200-250 families from the nearby Venkatapuram initially and later NDRF personnel dressed in chemical suits and armed with oxygen cylinder went for a door-to-door search to rescue those still stranded. "Some were unconscious. Some could not walk. There were children, women and elderly. We rescued around 500 such people," he said.

The NDRF team will stay back in the locality until the situation is in complete control. "The situation is now under control. The leakage is now down to minimal. There is hardly any leakage," he said.

Kishore said the Prime Minister directed the officials to ensure that all steps that is needed should be taken to ensure that minimum damage is done. He inquired about the antidote needed to treat people and the process to decontaminate while directing the top officials to leave no stone unturned in dealing with the situation.

Nearly 1,000 people were affected by the gas leakage, which had impacted villages surrounding the factory, like Narava, BC Colony, Bapuji Nagar, Kampalapalem and Krishna Nagar.

Also read — Vizag gas leak: PM Modi reviews situation; assures help to Andhra Pradesh CM

After Modi's meeting, the National Crisis Management Committee also met under Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to chalk out the steps needed to be taken for the same. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra also directed sending teams of experts as well as steps for assessing the short-term and long term medical impact on people due to the gas leakage.

Earlier, PM Modi had tweeted, "Spoke to officials of MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) and regarding the situation in Visakhapatnam, which is being monitored closely. I pray for everyone's safety and well-being in Visakhapatnam."

PM Modi also spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and assured him all help.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the incident was disturbing and that he has spoken to NDMA officials and concerned authorities. "We are continuously and closely monitoring the situation. I pray for the well-being of the people of Visakhapatnam," Shah said.