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| Bhopal marks devastating gas leak | Bhopal marks devastating gas leak |
| (18 minutes later) | |
| Residents of the Indian city of Bhopal are marking 25 years since a devastating gas leak killed thousands of people and sickened many more. | Residents of the Indian city of Bhopal are marking 25 years since a devastating gas leak killed thousands of people and sickened many more. |
| The incident, in the early hours of 3 December 1984, was the worst industrial accident in history. | The incident, in the early hours of 3 December 1984, was the worst industrial accident in history. |
| Forty tons of a deadly toxin called methyl isocyanate leaked from a factory run by US-owned Union Carbide and settled over slums around the plant. | Forty tons of a deadly toxin called methyl isocyanate leaked from a factory run by US-owned Union Carbide and settled over slums around the plant. |
| Campaigners say the effects of the gas continue to this day. | Campaigners say the effects of the gas continue to this day. |
| Toxin fears | Toxin fears |
| Residents of the city have held a week of commemoration events in the lead-up to the anniversary. | Residents of the city have held a week of commemoration events in the lead-up to the anniversary. |
| BHOPAL'S DEATH TOLL Official figures on deaths: 3,828Affected: Nearly 600,000Court awards compensation for deaths: 15,274Unofficial figures on deaths from 3-6 Dec: 7,000-8,000Subsequent deaths: 15,000-20,000Compensation: Union Carbide pays $470m in 1989 Source: Madhya Pradesh government, Indian Council of Medical Research class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8390156.stm">Survivors fight for justice class="" href="/2/hi/south_asia/8388817.stm">Memories of the disaster class="" href="/2/hi/business/8388167.stm">Industrial success fails to lift Bhopal | |
| Late on Wednesday, crowds gathered for a candle-lit rally at a memorial statue of a mother and child outside the plant. | Late on Wednesday, crowds gathered for a candle-lit rally at a memorial statue of a mother and child outside the plant. |
| The factory is now abandoned, but campaigners say it is still leaking toxins into groundwater and soil, affecting surrounding areas. | The factory is now abandoned, but campaigners say it is still leaking toxins into groundwater and soil, affecting surrounding areas. |
| The BBC took a sample of water from a hand pump in constant use just north of the plant and had it tested in the UK. | The BBC took a sample of water from a hand pump in constant use just north of the plant and had it tested in the UK. |
| It contained nearly 1,000 times the World Health Organisation's recommended maximum amount of carbon tetrachloride, a pollutant known to cause cancer and liver damage. | It contained nearly 1,000 times the World Health Organisation's recommended maximum amount of carbon tetrachloride, a pollutant known to cause cancer and liver damage. |
| Campaigners also say that Bhopal has an unusually high incidence of children with birth defects and growth deficiency, as well as cancers, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. | Campaigners also say that Bhopal has an unusually high incidence of children with birth defects and growth deficiency, as well as cancers, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. |
| This is seen not only among survivors of the gas but among generations born much later, they say. | This is seen not only among survivors of the gas but among generations born much later, they say. |
| No-one has ever stood trial over what happened at Bhopal. | No-one has ever stood trial over what happened at Bhopal. |
| Twenty years ago Union Carbide paid $470m (£282m) in compensation to the Indian government. | Twenty years ago Union Carbide paid $470m (£282m) in compensation to the Indian government. |
| Dow Chemicals, which bought the company in 1999, says this settlement resolved all existing and future claims against the company. | Dow Chemicals, which bought the company in 1999, says this settlement resolved all existing and future claims against the company. |
| The state government of Madhya Pradesh is now responsible for the site and earlier this week Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told the BBC that the water supply around the plant was safe. | The state government of Madhya Pradesh is now responsible for the site and earlier this week Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told the BBC that the water supply around the plant was safe. |