Bhopal disaster

Bhopal Disaster

The Bhopal Disaster (pronunciation: /bəʊˈpɑːl/), also known as the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, was a gas leak incident in India, considered one of the world's worst industrial disasters. It occurred on the night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Etymology

The event is named after the city of Bhopal, where the disaster took place. The term "disaster" is derived from the Middle French désastre, which comes from the Old Italian disastro, which means "ill-starred event."

Background

The Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant, where the incident occurred, was a subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), which is now a part of Dow Chemical Company. The plant produced the pesticide Sevin (carbaryl) using Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) as an intermediate.

Incident

On the night of 2–3 December 1984, water entered a tank containing 42 tons of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC). The resulting exothermic reaction increased the temperature inside the tank to over 200 °C (392 °F) and raised the pressure. The safety systems, designed to neutralize any leak, were not in operation. Consequently, a large amount of toxic gases flooded the city of Bhopal, causing immense casualties and severe damage.

Aftermath

The immediate death toll was estimated to be around 3,800, while the Greenpeace organization cites a total of 8,000 fatalities in the immediate aftermath and 20,000 subsequent premature deaths. The Bhopal disaster is frequently cited as the world's worst industrial disaster. The health effects and the compensation for the victims are still subjects of legal and political battles.

Related Terms

• Industrial Disaster
• Union Carbide
• Methyl Isocyanate
• Bhopal
• Dow Chemical Company
• Greenpeace

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Bhopal disaster
• Wikipedia's article - Bhopal disaster

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