Bhopal disaster
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Copy Citation
Share to social media
Give Feedback
External Websites
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – PubMed Central – The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review
- University College London – The Bhopal gas tragedy 1984 to? The evasion of corporate responsibility
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Copy Citation
Share to social media
External Websites
Thank you for your feedback
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites
- National Center for Biotechnology Information – PubMed Central – The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review
- University College London – The Bhopal gas tragedy 1984 to? The evasion of corporate responsibility
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica’s editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated: Article History
Table of Contents
Bhopal, India: pesticide plant
Date: December 3, 1984 . (Show more) Location: Bhopal India Madhya Pradesh . (Show more) Participants: Union Carbide Corporation . (Show more)
Top Questions
What was the Bhopal disaster?
The Bhopal disaster was a chemical leak that occurred on December 3, 1984, in the Indian city of Bhopal. It killed an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people. At the time, it was the worst industrial accident in history.
What was the cause of the Bhopal disaster?
The Bhopal disaster occurred when about 45 tons of the gas methyl isocyanate escaped from a plant owned by a subsidiary of the U.S.-based Union Carbide Corporation. Investigations later established that substandard operating and safety procedures at the understaffed plant had led to the catastrophe.
What was the aftermath of Bhopal disaster?
An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people died as a result of the Bhopal disaster, and some 500,000 survivors suffered respiratory problems, blindness, and other health problems. In 2010 several former executives of the company that operated the Bhopal plant—all Indian citizens—were convicted of negligence.
Bhopal disaster, chemical leak in 1984 in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh state, India. At the time, it was called the worst industrial accident in history.
On December 3, 1984, about 45 tons of the dangerous gas methyl isocyanate escaped from an insecticide plant that was owned by the Indian subsidiary of the American firm Union Carbide Corporation. The gas drifted over the densely populated neighbourhoods around the plant, killing thousands of people immediately and creating a panic as tens of thousands of others attempted to flee Bhopal. The final death toll was estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000. Some half a million survivors suffered respiratory problems, eye irritation or blindness, and other maladies resulting from exposure to the toxic gas; many were awarded compensation of a few hundred dollars. Investigations later established that substandard operating and safety procedures at the understaffed plant had led to the catastrophe. In 1998 the former factory site was turned over to the state of Madhya Pradesh.
In the early 21st century more than 400 tons of industrial waste were still present on the site. Despite continued protests and attempts at litigation, neither the Dow Chemical Company, which bought out the Union Carbide Corporation in 2001, nor the Indian government had properly cleaned the site. Soil and water contamination in the area was blamed for chronic health problems and high instances of birth defects in the area’s inhabitants. In 2004 the Indian Supreme Court ordered the state to supply clean drinking water to the residents of Bhopal because of groundwater contamination. In 2010 several former executives of Union Carbide’s India subsidiary—all Indian citizens—were convicted by a Bhopal court of negligence in the disaster.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Zeidan.
