What Happened

Panic spread across parts of Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district in coastal Andhra Pradesh after a major gas leak was reported from an operational ONGC oil well, identified locally as Mori‑5, near Irusumanda village in Malikipuram mandal.

The incident occurred during workover and repair operations carried out by production contractor Deep Industries Limited, when escaping gas is believed to have ignited, sending towering flames and thick smoke into the sky above nearby fields and habitations.

Evacuation And Immediate Response

District authorities ordered a precautionary evacuation after dense, fog‑like gas and smoke spread over Irusumanda and neighbouring villages, sharply reducing visibility and triggering fear among residents.

Around 600 people from at least two to three villages within a radius of up to four kilometres were moved to safer locations, with some families taking shelter in public buildings and places of worship as police and revenue teams coordinated transport and relief.

• Local roads around the well were sealed and entry into the affected zone was restricted.
• Fire services deployed multiple tenders and began cooling operations using water drawn from a nearby irrigation canal.
• Emergency medical teams and disaster management personnel were kept on standby as a precaution.

Condition At The Site

Visuals from the area showed flames reportedly rising up to nearly 20 metres, with a fiery glow visible from surrounding paddy fields and palm groves in the Godavari delta region, intensifying concerns of villagers already in the middle of the rabi season.

ONGC’s crisis management teams and senior technical personnel from the company’s Rajahmundry asset rushed to the location, where the well area has been fully cordoned off and work is underway to stabilise the well, cool surrounding infrastructure and prepare for possible capping operations if required.

Official Statements And Safety Status

Preliminary information from officials indicates that there are no reports of deaths or serious injuries so far, with authorities emphasising that the large‑scale evacuation has been carried out purely as a precautionary safety measure.

The district administration has arranged food and basic facilities for evacuees at temporary shelters, while teams are monitoring air quality and potential health impacts before allowing residents to return to their homes.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has taken a briefing from senior ministers and district officials, directing them to prioritise extinguishing the fire, strengthen relief measures and ensure that villagers do not face further hardship.

About The ONGC Operations In The Region

The affected well is part of ONGC’s larger hydrocarbon operations in the Krishna‑Godavari basin, where the public sector major, through its Rajahmundry onshore asset, produces natural gas and crude oil from a network of onshore fields and offshore platforms.

Deep Industries Limited, which secured a multi‑crore production enhancement contract for several wells in the area in 2024, has been operating the Mori‑5 well for about a year, and investigators are expected to examine both technical and procedural aspects once the site is declared safe.