Styrene Gas: Visakhapatnam(Vizag) Gas Tragedy
The Visakhapatnam (Vizag) gas tragedy refers to a major industrial accident that occurred on May 7, 2020, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The tragedy involved the leakage of styrene gas from a chemical plant owned by LG Polymers, a South Korean company. Styrene is a colorless, flammable liquid that is widely used in the production of polystyrene plastics, synthetic rubber, and resins. It has a sweet, pungent odor and can be harmful if inhaled in high concentrations. During the incident, there was a failure in the storage tank, leading to the release of a large quantity of styrene gas into the surrounding atmosphere. The gas quickly spread in the vicinity, affecting nearby residential areas and villages. The immediate impact of the gas leak was severe. People in the affected areas experienced various symptoms, including breathing difficulties, eye irritation, skin rashes, nausea, and loss of consciousness. Tragically, the gas leak resulted in the loss of several lives, with rep...