Assam: Formalin leak after tanker crash contaminates Jatinga river, DDMA issues public safety advisor

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Dima Hasao, has issued a public safety advisory after a formalin-laden tanker met with an accident near Jatinga Bridge, resulting in a chemical leak into the Jatinga River.

According to the district administration, the tanker bearing registration number NL01A 3886, carrying formalin from Namrup to Tripura, crashed near Jatinga Bridge on National Highway-27 along the Haflong-Silchar route at around 4 pm on Thursday.

The accident caused formalin to leak from two chambers of the tanker into a nearby stream, which subsequently discharged into the Jatinga River.

As a precautionary measure, the district administration has directed all residents living along the Jatinga River stretch from Jatinga Bridge to Harangajao not to use river water for drinking, cooking, domestic purposes or for feeding cattle and other animals for the next two days.

The advisory stated that exposure to formalin-contaminated water can pose risks to human health and may also adversely affect livestock, aquatic life and the surrounding environment.

The DDMA has urged the public to strictly comply with the advisory until further notice while authorities monitor the situation and undertake necessary measures to mitigate the impact of the chemical spill.