Gas Leak at a Chemical Plant in India Kills At Least 11 People

As India battles the COVID-19 pandemic, the country now faces another disaster as a gas leak at a chemical plant in Visakhapatnam has taken the lives of at least 11 people and hospitalized hundreds more.

According to a CNN report, the toxic gas that spilled from the LG Polymers plant was identified as Styrene. Victims who inhaled the suffocating fumes collapsed where they stood—some of whom were even aboard their motorbikes. Nearly a thousand people were exposed to the gas, and authorities say that more than 20 people are in critical but stable condition.

The plant was owned by South Korean company LG Chem. It was scheduled for an imminent restart after the coronavirus outbreak in India that caused several businesses to halt operations has just started easing up.

As of this writing, about 5,000 residents have already been evacuated, and India's National Disaster Response Force has assured the public that the situation is currently under control. The Indian government has also stated that the families of the deceased victims will be duly compensated.