Staff Reporter
Karachi
Following the deaths of more than a dozen Karachi residents and scores being hospitalised due to air toxicity, unloading of soybean at Karachi Port was halted on Wednesday as a report called it the cause behind the deaths.
According to a report compiled by the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences at Karachi University, an aeroallergen from soybean dust was found in the blood samples collected from the people, who died after the suspected gas leakage in the city’s Keamari area.
Earlier on Wednesday, a US ship identified as ‘Hercules’, docked at the Karachi port, was removed as its unloading of soybean was leading to air toxicity, however, the ship is still docked at one of the city’s ports.
Sources claimed that after the ship left for port Bin Qasim from Karachi port, there was a significant reduction in air pollution. It was learnt that the ship carrying soybean reached Karachi on February 15. The citizens of Kemari railway colony started being affected by the aeroallergen since the evening of February 16.
Today, Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said there was no need for an immediate evacuation of the city’s Keamari area, where more than a dozen over the weekend after inhaling a lethal substance.
Meanwhile, Petrol pumps across the city started shutting down on Wednesday night as the oil terminals in the city were closed. The petrol pumps were shut down after aeroallergen from soybean dust reportedly caused at least 14 deaths and affected hundreds more. Initially, it was thought that a gas leakage had resulted in the respiratory illness incidence.
