Bhopal disaster

Table of Contents

Introduction & Top Questions References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

Victims of the Union Carbide chemical leak in Bhopal, India, wearing patches over their eyes, December 1984.

Bhopal disaster

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

Q: 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.

industrial accident, Bhopal, India [1984]

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jan 7, 2025 • Article History

Quick Facts

Date:: December 3, 1984

Location:: Bhopal; India; Madhya Pradesh

Participants:: Union Carbide Corporation

See all related content

What was the Bhopal disaster?

What was the cause of the Bhopal disaster?

What was the aftermath of Bhopal disaster?

News •

Bhopal Gas Tragedy: 358 Tonnes of Toxic Waste Awaits Disposal Amid Public Fear in Pithampur • Jan. 6, 2025, 9:36 PM ET (Frontline Magazine)

Removal of waste from site of 1984 Bhopal disaster dismissed as ‘farce’ • Jan. 3, 2025, 1:42 AM ET (The Guardian)

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 ...(100 of 281 words)

Access the full article

Help support true facts by becoming a member.