Disaster in the Air
Throughout the years, there have been occasional disasters that affect local communities throughout the world. Some are natural events like earthquakes and some are human accidents like oil spills in the ocean. The destruction caused by these disasters could be physical damages on the people who live near where the disaster took place or economical damage done to the community. A current event that is happening right now are the volcanic eruptions on the Big Island of Hawaii from Mount Kilauea. Another disaster that has occurred in 1984 was the gas leak in Bhopal, India. The deadly gas affect many people in the city and we get inside view of their struggles through Animal in Animal’s People by Indra Sinha. Both disasters occur in different times and different areas of the world, but both threatened and affected the communities near them.
On Hawaii’s Big Island, there is an active volcano named Kilauea. Kilauea has been erupting since 1983 and was not considered a major threat because its lava would usually flow along its East Rift Zone, leading it to fall south towards ocean. On May 3, 2018, Kilauea began erupting and its lava began to flow past the East Rift Zone. Tons of hot and molten lava were now flowing into the areas of Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens. From the summit, spewing lava would reach heights 150 to 200 feet and giant plumes of ash were being sent 12,000 to 13,000 feet into the air. Evacuations were put into action because they needed to avoid people being isolated by the lava flow and to avoid the ash and Sulphur dioxide coming downwind from the summit of Kilauea. From Leilani Estates, at least 51 homes have been destroyed and more than 2,000 people have fled the area.
The lava flow also threatened a major Hawaiian power plant. The 38 Megawatt Puna Geothermal Venture power plant provides 25% of the Big Island’s power. The plant was immediately shut down when the eruptions began on May 3. Workers capped the wells to prevent the unstoppable release of toxic gases if the lava reached the plant. A well was soon overtaken by the lava and another one is at risk. The Hawaii Civil Defense Agency released a statement on May 27 at 6:00 pm local time, “That well, along with a second well 100 feet [30 meters] away, are stable and secured, and are being monitored. Also due to preventative measures, neither well is expected to release any hydrogen sulfide.” Hawaiian residents have had a fear that a rupture of the walls could set off an explosion, releasing hydrogen sulfide and other dangerous gases into the environment ever since the plant went online three decades ago.
In 1984, a Union Carbide factory/pesticide plant in Bhopal, India had a gas leak. Union Carbide is a U.S. chemical company and is now currently known as Dow Chemicals. The gas leak occurred in the late night of December 2. The alarm system for the factory did not work for hours into the gas release, so the people of Bhopal only realized the problem when masses were running to the hospital on the morning of December 3 with their complaints. Around 500,000 people were exposed to 40 tons of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals released into the air. Methyl isocyanate is extremely toxic and can cause death within minutes of being inhaled in its very concentrated state. The gas clouds was composed of chemicals denser than air so it stayed close to the ground. This lead to half of the population being affected being small children below 15 years of age because most of the air they inhale would be the toxic gas.
Animal’s People by Indra Sinha takes place twenty years after the incident and in the city of Khaufpur. Khaufpur is an extremely poor city with little treatment for the diseases and problems the towns people are living with. The novel focuses on Animal, who is telling his story of living with the effect of the Bhopal gas leak. Animal was born a few days before the industrial accident that killed his parents and affected his spine. His spine was so twisted and his backside was raised higher than his head, forcing him to walk on all fours like a dog. Hence his name, “Animal”. Ma Franci is a nun from France who worked in the orphanage Animal grew up in and took care of him. Her mark of the gas leak is her lost of the ability to understand Hindi and English and visions of prophetic angels. Animal alone can speak to her in French, the only language she understands. Somraj was once a famous singer known throughout India and was known as the “Voice of Khaufpur”. The night of accident, he lost his wife, baby son, and his ability to sing. His lungs became so damaged that if he try to sing, he ends up with furious and heavy coughs.
The Kilauea eruptions are a geological disaster and the Bhopal gas leak was a industrial accident. Both situations are related because they both contaminated the air and affected the people of their locations. Even though the lava did not end up breaching any of the wells of the Puna Geothermal Venture, dangerous gases were still released because of Kilauea. Winds are weakening, so a widespread cloud of volcanic smog is expected to cover the Big Island in the upcoming week or two. According to authorities, no one was really physically affected by the eruptions but this upcoming exposure to volcanic particles can cause respiratory illnesses and skin and eye irritation. The gas leak of Bhopal resulted with more than half of the population coughing, complaining of itchy eyes and skin, and facing breathing problems. The gas caused internal hemorrhages, pneumonia, and death. Many people died from the toxic gas and caused many deformities to people who survived. Most were permanently disabling injuries. Examples would be Animal’s twisted spine, Ma Franci’s aphasia, and Somraj’s ruptured lungs.
Both disasters are very different but similar in regards to their deadly inhalants. The Kilauea eruptions are a natural phenomenon and will affect the people of Hawaii’s Big Island in the near future. The Union Carbide gas leak was an industrial accident and affected the people immediately. Both situations caused damage to communities through toxic gases. Many people had to leave their homes in the Big Island, some have no home to come back to, and many people in Bhopal have live with life changing deformities.
