Incessant rain and flood have hampered the work process to control the fire at the oil well at Baghjan in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
The oil well, operated by the Oil India Limited (OIL), caught fire on June 9 following continuous leakage of condensate and gas since May 27. Foreign experts and engineers of OIL and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) have been engaged in their effort to cap the oil well.
The Army was also called to build temporary infrastructure like Bailey bridge at the site.
“After heavy rainfall since the last three days, the area has been badly hit by flood and the site has been inundated with flood water. The Kill Pump area is completely flooded. OIL CMT Water Pump area is submerged with flood water,” said OIL spokesperson Tridiv Hazarka.
Dangori river has already started overflowing. All connecting roads to the site have been submerged with flood water.
Currently, there is only one connecting road (Plastic Park Road) which is narrow at places resulting in challenges in movement of personnel and material.
Apart from that a bridge in between Doomdooma and Baghjan road got damaged due to heavy rainfall.
“All movement over the bridge has stopped which is hampering the movement of personnel and material to Baghjan site. On request from OIL, Army personnel will assess the condition of the bridge to find out the next course of action,” Hazarika added.
Hazarika further said that the OIL team held a meeting with Singapore firm M/S Alert and ONGC-CMT (Crisis Management Team) to deliberate and plan out activities for way ahead on urgent situations arising out of flood at site and connecting roads.
