Kerala: India state on alert after ship carrying hazardous cargo capsizes

All 24 crew members on board the ship were rescued by Indian navy personnel after an hours-long operation.

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The spill occurred in a Liberian-flagged vessel that capsized near Kochi city on Sunday. The coastal stretch is rich in biodiversity and is also an important tourist destination.

All 24 crew members on board the ship have been rescued but some of the ship's 640 containers have reportedly been drifting towards the shore, prompting evacuations in the area.

Authorities fear that oil, fuel and other harmful substances that have leaked from the ship and its cargo could endanger the health of residents and marine life.

Watch: Containers wash up on Kochi shore in India after ship carrying hazardous cargo capsizes"As the oil slick can reach anywhere along the Kerala coast, an alert has been sounded across the coastal belt," a statement from the chief minister's office said.