Lab tests reveal highest levels of air toxicity in, around Kemari port

KARACHI: The mysterious toxic gas leak at Kemari port earlier on Sunday which has since claimed 14 live and has since left many scores hospitalised has since been researched upon to determine its nature, a preliminary report on the matter was submitted today, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Global Environmental Labs (GEL) in its initial report claims that the air in the port area of Kemari has registered an extraordinary increase in the amount of sulfur dioxide presence.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a pungent corrosive gas that arises predominantly from the burning of coal or crude oil in power plants and from factories that produce chemicals, paper, or fuel.

The lab revealed that the normal ranges of the chemical present in the air are around 120 percent which had been bumped up to a whopping 1420 percent since the incident was first reported.

Burning of the eyes is a symptom of access presence of the chemical in the air.

Particulate meters which check air quality around the world have 150 points as the highest level of air toxicity which is still breathable and can be observed in highly concentrated and polluted areas of the world.

The air quality meter showed that the range of toxicity in the Kemari port area of Karachi had reached 1155 points on the morning of February 18 when the tests were conducted.

Earlier in the day, the Sindh health department announced 14 deaths in Karachi’s toxic gas leak incident in the port area.

Dr Zafar Mehdi, focal person of the provincial health department, in a statement, said that 14 persons have been died at the city’s hospitals due to inhaling poisonous gas during the last two days.

Giving details, the health official said that nine patients admitted at Ziauddin Hospital have died. “Two patients each at the Civil Hospital and Kutyana Memon Hospital in Kharadar, and another patient reported died at Burhani Hospital.”