Qatar gas plant blast: 12 Indians among 13 dead
What's the story
The Indian Embassy in Qatar has confirmed that 12 Indian nationals were among the 13 people killed in a recent explosion at the Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex. The incident occurred on Sunday night and was described by authorities as a "technical accident." Qatar's Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi confirmed that 66 others were injured, but none are in life-threatening condition.
Incident details
What we know about the incident
The explosion took place during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City, specifically at the Barzan gas supply facility. The plant is a major supplier of sales gas for local power generation and water desalination plants in Qatar. It has a production capacity of 1.4 billion standard cubic feet per day.
Ongoing investigation
No environmental impact, export capabilities unaffected: Qatar Energy Ministry
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the explosion. Minister al-Kaabi stressed that this was "an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature." The Qatar Energy Ministry has confirmed that there was no environmental impact from the incident, and it did not affect export capabilities. "This will not affect in any way our exports to the world," he said.
Embassy assistance
Blast affected people from several countries
The Indian Embassy in Doha has said it is in constant touch with Qatari authorities and will provide all possible help to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured. The blast was heard as far as 64km from Ras Laffan, affecting people in several countries, including India, Qatar, Tanzania, Pakistan, Guinea, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Nigeria.