Jordan's Aqaba port Toxic gas leak kills 11, injures hundreds
Authorities said a chemical storage container fell while transported due to a crane malfunction.
CCTV footage showed the container being hoisted into the air and then suddenly dropping onto a ship and exploding.
A large cloud of bright yellow gas spreads across the ground, sending people running for safety.
State media said 199 injured were treated at local hospitals for chemical exposure. Some were reportedly in critical condition.
Chlorine is a chemical used in industry and household cleaning products. It is a yellow-green gas at standard temperature and pressure but is usually pressurised and cooled for storage and shipment.
When chlorine is inhaled, swallowed or comes into contact with skin, it reacts with water to produce acids that damage cells in the body. Inhaling high chlorine levels causes fluid to build up in the lungs, a life-threatening condition known as pulmonary oedema.
Residents of Aqaba city, 16km (10 miles) north of the port, were advised to stay inside and close windows and doors following the leak.
Aqaba's southern beach, which is only 7km away and is a popular tourist destination, was also evacuated as a precaution, AFP news agency reported.
The Civil Defence Department sent specialist teams to the port to deal with the leak and clean-up operation.
Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh flew to Aqaba and ordered Interior Minister Mazen Faraya to oversee an investigation into the incident.
The deputy director of Aqaba's port told AlMamlaka TV that an "iron rope" carrying the container "broke" while it was being loaded onto a vessel.
The container was filled with between 25 and 30 tonnes of chlorine and was exported to Djibouti.
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