Kochi, a city in Kerala, has been smothered by toxic fumes from a waste dump that has been on fire since March 2.

Residents have been advised to remain indoors and wear N-95 masks as the blaze rages on at the Brahmapuram waste plant.

Footage from March 7 shows firefighters wearing facemasks attempting to extinguish the blaze. Clouds of toxic smoke can be seen streaking across in the background.

The filmer told Newsflare: "Smoke emitted by the combustion of plastic and other waste materials contains toxic gases like carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrous oxide, posing serious health threats.

"Residents here are also concerned about potential health threats as garbage collection has been halted ever since the incident.

"The waste collection has to be suspended since lorries cannot approach the plant to unload the waste in the prevailing circumstances."

The heavy smoke has caused the air quality in parts of Kochi to plunge. Data from the Kerala Pollution Control Board said the PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulate levels in the air in Kochi were way above the prescribed standards.

The toxic smoke has spread to a radius of more than 10km and police have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Thick clouds of toxic smoke continue to hover over Kochi as hundreds of firefighters, including Naval troops, have been struggling to douse the fire that broke out at the Brahmapuram waste plant on March 2, 2023. The incident brought inadequate waste treatment and the lack of a firefighting apparatus at the site into the spotlight. Several portions of the city are still covered by heavy fumes and the odour of burning plastic nearly five days after the fire broke out.

Smoke emitted by the combustion of plastic and other waste materials contains toxic gases like carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrous oxide, posing serious health threats. Residents here are also concerned about potential health threats as garbage collection has been halted ever since the incident. The waste collection has to be suspended since lorries cannot approach the plant to unload the waste in the prevailing circumstances.

The smoke from the burning plastic refuse has spread to a radius of more than 10 km, leaving residents struggling to breathe. The district administration instructed people to stay at home on Sunday as 25 fire-fighting units, which included tenders from the nearby Thrissur, Kottayam, and Idukki districts as well as those of the Indian Navy and Bharat Petroleum, battled the blaze. The heavy smoke cover caused the air quality in parts of Kochi to plunge. The data from the Kerala Pollution Control Board website said the PM 2.5 and PM 10 particulate levels in the air in Kochi were way above the prescribed standards.