ONGC Blowout in Andhra Pradesh's Konaseema Under Control, Relief Efforts Continue
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A massive gas leak at an Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) drilling site in Andhra Pradesh's Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district has been largely brought under control, officials said. The blast, which occurred on Monday at the Mori-5 site in Irusumanda village, led to a massive fire that rose over 100 feet high. However, by Tuesday evening, the flames had been reduced to around 50 feet, with authorities citing 90% control. District Collector Mahesh Kumar Ravirala announced that the remaining 10% of the flames would be extinguished within the next four to five days. A team of ONGC engineers and workers, along with local authorities, have been working tirelessly to cap the gas well. Four fire tenders and specialized equipment were deployed to subdue the blowout. ONGC officials stated that approximately 40,000 cubic meters of gas reserves were discovered at the site when drilling reached a depth of 2,500 meters. To quickly subside the flames, ONGC machines have been pouring water on the blowout site. Water was diverted from the Gudavalli irrigation canal and sprayed in an umbrella-like pattern to cool the area and suppress the flames. A team of experts from Delhi has also joined the operations, using coolant fluids to bring down temperatures and control the fire. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a high-level review meeting on Tuesday to assess the situation and ongoing containment measures. He instructed officials to keep displaced residents informed about the real situation to prevent panic and initiate compensation measures for those who suffered losses, including farmers whose coconut plantations were destroyed in the fire. Over 550 people from nearby villages, who were shifted to relief centers as a precautionary measure, can now return to their homes, according to the district collector. The government has also announced that it will provide compensation for the loss of coconut trees and other crops that were burnt due to the massive flames.
