Kerala govt. sounds high alert along coastline following oil spill, threat of chemical leakage from capsized ship
The spectre of possible leakage of hazardous chemicals loomed large in Kerala, with at least nine containers from the capsized Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC Elsa 3, washing up on the beaches of Kollam and Alappuzha districts early Monday.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan issued a high alert along the State's coastline. It also flagged environmental concerns from an oil spill from the sunken vessel. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Dornier Aircraft flew several sorties over the shipwreck site and sprayed dispersants to accelerate the biodegradation of the oil slicks.
The government has classified the accident as a Tier 2 maritime event. It is in close coordination with the ICG director general, who heads the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan, to mitigate the environmental hazard.
Calcium carbide
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the vessel had 643 transhipment containers secured on the main deck. The cargo hold contained 13 containers transporting calcium carbide. The hazardous chemical causes an exothermic reaction, producing highly flammable calcium hydroxide and acetylene gas when it reacts with water.
The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information (INCOIS) has informed the government that more containers will likely wash up on the beaches of Alappuzha, Kollam, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts. The government has urged the public to report the sighting of containers by dialling the emergency number 112.
The government stated that local people found four containers beached near Shakthikulangara Harbour and Chavara in the Kollam district. They also reported containers run ashore at Cheriaazheekal and Thrikunnipuzha beaches in Alappuzha district. The government has advised extreme caution and cordoned off the coastal localities, as some containers may contain hazardous and flammable materials.
Sekhar Kuriakose, member secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), advised the public to maintain a minimum distance of 200 m from the beached containers.
Ban on fishing near site
The government stated that more containers were floating in the sea, posing a grave threat to passing ships and smaller vessels, including fishing boats. The government has banned fishing activities within a 20-nautical mile radius of the shipwreck location.
The ICG and maritime authorities have issued notices to mariners, advising them to exercise caution when navigating the shipwreck location.
Salvaging containers
The shipping company has contracted a private firm to assist authorities in corralling the floating containers and salvaging those stowed away in the submerged vessel's cargo hold.
The container ship, which had set course for Kochi from Vizhinjam, foundered after encountering rough weather 38 km southwest of its port of call early Sunday.
A perilous combination of heavy seas, possible hull leakage, mechanical failure and perhaps unbalanced cargo reportedly caused the ship to list heavily before capsizing and sinking.
The Coast Guard rescued the ship's crew, comprising up to 21 individuals from various nationalities, including Russia and the Philippines.
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