Kerala Declares Shipwreck a State Disaster Amid Environmental Concerns

Kerala Government Responds to Shipwreck Incident

On Thursday, the Kerala government officially classified the wreckage of a Liberian-flagged container ship that sank near Kochi as a state-specific disaster.

In response to the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that affected fishermen would receive interim assistance of Rs 1,000 and 6 kg of rice.

The vessel, known as MSC ELSA-3, capsized on Sunday approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Alappuzha while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 of which contained calcium carbide.

All 24 crew members aboard were successfully rescued, and the ship was en route to Kochi from Vizhinjam, according to the defense ministry.

The shipwreck has raised alarms regarding potential environmental, social, and economic threats to Kerala’s coastline, as highlighted by Tinku Biswal, principal secretary of the State Disaster Management Department.

Concerns have been voiced about possible oil spills and debris drifting along Kerala’s extensive 640-km coastline.

The government order allows the State Disaster Management Authority to deploy resources, including personnel and funds from the State Disaster Response Fund, to assist with relief efforts.

Currently, at least 54 containers have been reported washed ashore: 43 in Kollam, nine in Thiruvananthapuram, and two in Alappuzha.

Authorities have cautioned that additional debris from the damaged containers may continue to appear along Kerala’s southern beaches due to rough seas.