To avoid Beirut's scenario, Iraq evacuates hazardous material from Umm Qasr port

Shafaq News/ The Border Ports Authority announced on Wednesday the evacuation of hazardous material containers and barrels inside the port of Umm Qasr per the directives of the Prime Minister.

The authority’s media office said in a statement received by Shafaq News agency that the Border Ports Authority and the port of Umm Qasr al-Awsat in Basra Governorate in cooperation with the Commercial Port Center, has evacuated containers and pallets of 9 barrels inside of which hazardous materials that belong to the Ministry of Oil accompanied by a force from the ports supports affiliated with the leadership of the Naval Forces. The materials were transferred to safe places to ensure the safety of citizens and governmental facilities.

The authority added, "the customs procedures have been completed per the regulations and instructions in force and a report of fundamentalist evacuation has been organized by the Directorate of Umm Qasr Al-Awsat / Border Ports Authority, the security authorities and departments operating at the border crossing".

"This came to implement the directives of the Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's to form an urgent committee to detect high-risk materials (chemicals, ammonium nitrate) at all border crossings (land, sea and air) and take all practical and precautionary measures to distant it from areas and population centers.