The Bhopal Gas Tragedy was an industrial catastrophe that occurred in 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
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At the time, UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of the US company Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), itself now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company.
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Around midnight on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, the plant released methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other toxins, resulting in the exposure of over 5,00,000 people. Estimates vary on the death toll.
Other government agencies estimate 15,000 deaths. Others estimate that 8,000 died within the first weeks and that another 8,000 have since died from gas-related diseases. The official immediate death toll was 2,259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release.
The gases flooded the city of Bhopal, causing great panic as people woke up with a burning sensation in their lungs.
The leakage caused many short term health effects in the surrounding areas. Thousands died immediately from the effects of the gas and many were trampled in the panic.
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http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/bhopal-gas-tragedy-in-pics/1/3261.html#photo6
At the time, UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of the US company Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), itself now a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Company.
Around midnight on the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, the plant released methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other toxins, resulting in the exposure of over 5,00,000 people. Estimates vary on the death toll.
Other government agencies estimate 15,000 deaths. Others estimate that 8,000 died within the first weeks and that another 8,000 have since died from gas-related diseases. The official immediate death toll was 2,259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release.
The gases flooded the city of Bhopal, causing great panic as people woke up with a burning sensation in their lungs.
The leakage caused many short term health effects in the surrounding areas. Thousands died immediately from the effects of the gas and many were trampled in the panic.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/bhopal-gas-tragedy-in-pics/1/3261.html#photo6