Vizag gas leak highlights: 11 dead, criminal case against plant management

Vizag gas leak: More than 1,000 people in five surrounding villages in a three-km radius have been reported sick. Catch LIVE updates

7:21 PM

Prez, political parties condole loss of lives in gas leak tragedy; Modi assures all help

The early morning gas leak tragedy in Visakhapatnam on Thursday shocked the country with the president, vice president and the prime minister besides different political parties condoling the loss of lives and calling for providing all possible help to the affected people. President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed their sadness over the incident, which left at least 11 persons dead and exposed over 1,000 people living in the affected region to styrene vapour leaking from a chemical plant, and offered prayers for an early recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation by speaking to officials concerned and assured all possible assistance to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

7:05 PM

Raj CM Gehlot, Dy CM Pilot express grief over Vizag gas leak tragedy

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday expressed grief over the Visakhapatnam gas leak tragedy early on the day that killed at least 11 persons and affected over 1,000 people, leaving them gasping for breath. "Shocked to know about the terrible Vizag gas leak tragedy. My condolences to the bereaved families, who lost their loved ones. May God give them strength to bear this loss. Prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured," Gehlot said. Deputy Chief Minister Pilot called the incident sad and unfortunate. "It is very sad and unfortunate that many people died in an accident caused by the poisonous gas leaking from the factory of a multinational company in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh," Pilot said.

6:56 PM

Precautions to stay safe from the toxic gas leakag

6:43 PM

Israel expresses 'deepest sympathies' to families of victims of Vizag gas leak

Israel on Thursday expressed its "deepest sympathies" to the families of the victims of the gas leak tragedy in Visakhapatnam and prayed for the early recovery of those affected. "I send my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims of the #VizaGasLeak and wish a speedy recovery to those injured," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a tweet. "The thoughts and prayers of the people of Israel are with the people of #Visakhapatnam as well as @DrSJaishankar and @AdhraPradeshCM at this time," Katz added.

I send my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims of the #VizaGasLeak and wish a speedy recovery to those injured. The thoughts and prayers of the people of Israel are with the people of #Visakhapatnam as well as @DrSJaishankar and @AdhraPradeshCM at this time

6:32 PM

Boiler explosion at Neyveli Lignite Corporation in Cuddalore

6:22 PM

PM discussed measures being taken for the safety of affected people: MHA

PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting today morning to take stock of the steps being taken in response to the #VizagGasLeak incident. He discussed at length the measures being taken for the safety of affected people as well as for securing the site affected by the disaster: MHA

6:08 PM

Instil courage among people not to get scared

6:00 PM

Heart breaking to see the visuals of Vizag gas leak: Ram Charan

Heart breaking to see the visuals of #VizagGasLeak. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the people who are no more. I hope all necessary measures are taken to make sure the affected people recover at the earliest. My thoughts and prayers with the people of Vizag.

Heart breaking to see the visuals of #VizagGasLeak. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the people who are no more. I hope all necessary measures are taken to make sure the affected people recover at the earliest. My thoughts and prayers with the people of Vizag.

5:54 PM

The loss of lives is always sad and my condolences to the bereaved families: Ravindra Jadeja

5:44 PM

Vizag gas leak: Guj govt to send chemical used as neutraliser

A specialised chemical called PTBC, made only in Vapi town of Gujarat, will be sent to Visakhapatnam on an urgent basis to help in neutralising the effects of gas leak at a polymer plant there, a Gujarat government official said on Thursday. A major leak from a chemical plant of LG Polymers near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh in the wee hours of Thursday impacted villages within a five-km radius, leaving eight people dead and scores of citizens complaining of breathlessness, nausea and other problems. Para-tertiary butyl catechol or PTBC is currently being used in Visakhapatnam to neutralise the effect of the gas leak, said Ashwani Kumar, secretary in the Gujarat chief minister's office.

5:38 PM

Plant produced stuff used to make disposable plastic cutlery

LG Polymers India, the company behind the deadly styrene gas leak in Visakhapatnam that left at least nine dead and hundreds hospitalised, is a subsidiary of leading South Korean chemical firm LG Chem that had entered India in 1997 through the acquisition of a local company. The Vizag plant manufactures polystyrene (PS) that finds wide utility in the food-service industry as rigid trays and containers, disposable utensils, and foamed cups, plates and bowls. The company, according to its website, was established in 1961 as 'Hindustan Polymers' by the Shriram Group for manufacturing PS and its co-polymers at Visakhapatnam. It got merged with MC Dowell & Co Ltd of UB Group in 1978.

5:31 PM

Vizag gas leak: All you need to know

11 persons, including one child, have died after chemical gas leakage of styrene gas at LG Polymers industry in Visakhapatnam this morning. 1,000 people were reported sick after the gas spread in five villages within a three-km radius of the plant at around 3.30am. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was 'closely monitoring' the situation in Visakhapatnam and had spoken to officials in the Union home ministry and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).  Read More

5:25 PM

Naidu writes to Piyush Goyal for medical care for people of Vizag

5:16 PM

In Pics | Andhra CM meets with injured in the gas leak

Andhra Pradesh CM meets Vizag gas leak injured. (Source: CMO AP)

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met with injured in the hospital. (CMO AP)

An ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore each to be given to the families of the deceased in the Vizag gas leakage incident.

4:52 PM

Gas leak in Chhattisgarh, seven workers admitted

Seven workers of a Paper Mill hospitalised after being exposed to a gas leak reportedly while cleaning a tank in the mill, 3 of them are in critical condition. Raigarh Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh & Collector Yashwant Kumar met those who were affected by gas leak at a paper mill in the district. SP says, "Owner of the mill tried to hide the incident from us & did not inform police. A case will be registered".