No second leakage in Vizag: NDRF DG

There is no second leakage in Visakhapatnam, and the experts on ground are working to ensure complete plugging of the breach, National Disaster Response Force chief S N Pradhan said on Friday.

Pradhan also asserted that the fumes that were seen coming out was a 'technical' issue and there was no need to panic.

"There are some rumours and media reports about a second leakage. I categorically clarify that it is not true," the NDRF Director General said in a video message.

Earlier, the Union home ministry had also clarified that a 'minuscule technical leak' had occurred at the chemical factory in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam but it was controlled and the process of neutralisation was on.

On Thursday, a styrene gas leak from LG Polymers in R R Venkatapuram area of Gopalapatnam in Visakhapatnam killed 11 people, and impacted over 1000 others who inhaled the toxic substance.

Teams of the NDRF and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) are on the ground to support the local administration, the ministry said.

The NDRF DG further said, "It has nothing to do with leakage as such and hence there is no reason to believe that there is a second leakage."

He said experts are doing the technical work and 'I am sure during the course of the day they will be able to update us about the success of the complete plugging process.'

The chemicals required afresh to neutralise the leakage has been sent from Daman and it is in enough quantity, he said.