Chennai, 31 May (H.S.): At least 22 coastal villages in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, have been affected by debris from the sunken Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC ELSA-3, which sank off the Kerala coast on May 24. The wreckage, including plastic pellets, wooden logs, and a container, has been washing ashore in Killiyoor and Kalkulam taluks over the past three days.
The vessel was carrying 640 containers, with 13 containing hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide, in addition to 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil. Debris, initially impacting the Kerala coastline, has spread to Tamil Nadu, with 12 villages in Killiyoor and 10 in Kalkulam reporting ashore debris. Affected locations include Neerodi, Eraviputhenthurai, Enayam, and others, where large quantities of plastic pellets and nurdles have been found. Wooden logs surfaced at Vallavilai, and a cargo container appeared at Vaniyakudi. Local residents discovered bags of cashew nuts and iron rods in Midalam.
Authorities have deployed a three-member expert team and set up a 24×7 control room for debris reports, with local workers and NGO volunteers cleaning the beaches.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar
