New Delhi, June 13 -- At least 1,200 people were evacuated from Bhotiapara in Sivasagar district of Assam following a blowout in an oil and gas rig belonging to the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The district administration has cordoned off an area of a kilometres in radius for the safety of the citizens, with the rig operated by a private contractor flowing uncontrollably for the past 24 hours. The incident has stoked fear among locals as they recalled the Baghjan blowout and oil fire incident of May 2020.

"During a regular work over operation, well no RDS 147 near Bhotiapara in Sivasagar district started discharging gas. Efforts to control the well and bring the situation to normalcy are in progress. ONGC teams, fire and emer...