Several mild tremors were felt in Baghjan and Natun Gaon area on Thursday following the massive fire at Oil India Limited (OIL)’s gas well in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.
OIL’s well no. 5 at Baghjan in Tinsukia district has been spewing gas uncontrollably since May 27 and it caught fire on Tuesday afternoon which turned into inferno, killing two OIL firefighters at the site.
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The residents of the areas panicked after feeling the tremors and left their houses.
“Tremors were felt constantly in our area for last 24 hours. Our house was shaking for last several hours. We thought that due to earthquake the house was shaking but later we realized that it was due to oil rig fire. People are scared after the devastation and living in anxiety,” said a villager at Baghjan Natun Gaon.
OIL as a precautionary step have evacuated the people from the villages. The villagers have been shifted to relief camps, an official said.
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Fire tenders from Indian Air Force and ONGC are trying hard to douse the flames.
Army has been deployed in the Baghjan area to prevent any untoward incident. The entire area near the devastation site was cordoned off by Army.
“The entire biodiversity of Baghjan was affected due to the continuous spewing of gas and oil from the Baghjan 5 oil rig. Maguri-Motapung Beel, one of the largest wetland has been affected because of the devastation.
“Wild buffaloes which were spotted regularly at the Maguri-Motapung Beel were not seen after the devastation. The animals of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park have also come under threat,” said Bijay Gogoi, a local wildlife activist.