Kerala on alert after Liberian ship carrying 'hazardous containers' capsizes
What's the story
Kerala is on high alert after a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, MSC ELSA 3, capsized near Kochi city on Sunday.
The state government declared an emergency over fears of an oil spill or chemical leakage from the ship.
The Indian Coast Guard and Navy are closely monitoring the situation, asking the public to stay away from the coast and avoid touching any foreign objects that may wash ashore.
Rescue operation
Crew rescued, hazardous materials on board
All 24 crew members of the ship were rescued on Saturday after it developed a severe tilt. The crew included one Russian, 20 Filipinos, two Ukrainians, and one Georgian.
The ship was carrying 13 containers of hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide—a chemical that reacts with seawater to release acetylene gas, which is highly flammable.
"Additionally, [the] ship had 84.44 metric tons of diesel and 367.1 metric tons of furnace oil in its tanks," the Indian Coast Guard said.
Environmental concern
Containers from sunken ship wash ashore
After the sinking of MSC ELSA 3, containers have started to wash ashore on the Kerala coast.
Local police reported that at least four containers have been spotted along the southern Kollam coast.
The total number of containers is yet to be determined, but officials are keeping a close watch on this development due to its potential environmental impact.
Pollution control
Indian Coast Guard conducts aerial surveillance
The Indian Coast Guard has deployed aircraft with advanced oil spill detection systems for aerial surveillance.
The National Disaster Response Force has also mobilized a hazardous material (HazMat) truck and a 30-person team from Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu, to Kollam, Kerala, where suspected chemical-laden shipping containers are washing ashore.
The HazMat truck is specifically designed to monitor and deal with chemical, biological, and nuclear risk situations.
These trucks are outfitted with detection and identification equipment, NBC filtration systems, and decontamination chambers.