ANKARA

Authorities in the southern Indian state of Kerala have braced for a possible oil spill after a vessel sank off southern Kerala state official said on Monday.

The Indian Defense Ministry said on Sunday a Liberian container vessel sank off the Kochi coast early Sunday due to "flooding."

The ministry said all 24 crew members on board were rescued, and the vessel went down with 640 containers, including 13 with “hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide.”

Kerala’s State Disaster Management Authority in its advisory on Monday warned people not to touch or approach any object that appears from the sunken ship anchored on the shore.

“The ship had 643 containers, ...13 of them are dangerous substances. Some of these contain a chemical called Calcium Carbide, which emits acetylene gas that can be flammable when mixed with water,” the authorities said.

Based on simulation results, “there is a high probability (80%) that overboard containers may drift” covering the entire coastal stretch of the state’s Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, the National Centre for Ocean Information Services -- an autonomous body under the Indian government -- said in its advisory on Monday.

“These regions may be impacted within the next 96 hours and should be monitored closely to mitigate potential risks,” it said.

The agency continues to “closely monitor the situation,” and “remains in coordination with relevant authorities, providing vital ocean forecast information and advisory services to support ongoing search, rescue, and environmental response operations,” it added.

The Indian Defense Ministry said that given the sensitive marine ecosystem along Kerala's coast, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has activated full pollution response preparedness.

“ICG aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance, and ICG ship Saksham, carrying pollution response equipment, remains deployed at the site,” the ministry said, adding that so far "no oil spill has been reported."