People from three villages evacuated, safety experts from ONGC’s Indian experts to join well capping in Konaseema

At least 600 people have been evacuated from the three villages — Irusumanda, Lakkavaram and Goodapalli — within one kilometre radius as part of safety evacuation process during the ongoing exercise to cap the well, in which blowout of natural gas was reported on January 5 at Irusumanda village of Malkipuram Mandal in Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema District.

According to an official release issued by District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar, the officials are on the alert for further evacuation.

The incident occurred while the well, identified as Mori-5, was being repaired for increasing gas production, claimed an official release from the ONGC. This workover operation (a type of major maintenance) was being done by an agency — PEC Operator Deep Industries Limited.

The ONGC authorities associated with the safety management team have claimed that safety experts from across Indian sites of the ONGC would be involved in preventing the blowout from increasing by evening.