Harmful cargo falls into Arabian Sea; warning issued
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Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) on Saturday said that dangerous cargo, including oil, has fallen into the Arabian Sea off the Kerala coast and cautioned the general public against touching the containers if they wash ashore, PTI reported
KSDMA member secretary Sekhar Kuriakose, in a voice note shared with reporters, said that the information about the dangerous cargo falling into the sea was received from the Coast Guard.
"There is a chance the cargo, including containers and oil, will wash ashore. The public, if they see such cargo, should not go near it or touch it and should inform the police immediately," he said.
He also said that there was a possibility of oil films appearing along the coast in some areas.
Kuriakose also said that the coast guard confirmed that the vessel was carrying marine gasoil (MGO) and very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).
About eight containers fell into the sea after the ship capsized 38 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi, it is learned. If containers are spotted, the public is advised to inform the police immediately. They can also report the information on the toll-free number 112. The forecast says that there is a possibility of a container washing up ashore on the Malabar coast. It is indicated that the container will hit the shore within an hour. District collectors have also been warned about this. The authorities also said that there is a possibility of an oil field in the sea. There is a warning not to touch this either.