--- title: "Huge Cloud of Toxic Yellow Gas Kills 13" description: "A massive cloud of yellow gas took the lives of at least 13 people after a crane accidentally dropped a chlorine gas tank onto a ship at a Jordanian port." date: "2022-06-28" modified: "2022-06-28" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cloud-toxic-gas-kills" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "chlorine" - "the digest" --- # Huge Cloud of Toxic Yellow Gas Kills 13 ![A massive cloud of yellow gas took the lives of at least 13 people after a crane accidentally dropped a chlorine gas tank onto a ship at a Jordanian port.]() *\Image: Jordan TV\* ## Deadly Cloud A massive cloud of yellow gas took the lives of at least 13 people after a crane accidentally dropped a chlorine gas tank onto a ship at a south Jordanian port on Monday. A [video]() shared by state-owned media shows a massive, yellow plume subsuming an entire cargo ship, a horrifying incident that shows the extraordinary danger of common chemicals. https://twitter.com/JrtvMedia/status/1541448031408721922 ## Chemical Warfare Chlorine is used in a number of different ways, from swimming pools to sanitizing household water. But in high concentrations, as seen in the video, the gas can be deadly, causing fluids to build up in the lungs. In fact, German troops [released chlorine]() as chemical warfare along the western front during World War I against the French. Alongside the 13 casualties, around 200 people were hospitalized after breathing in some of the toxic gas. Fortunately, according to authorities, the effects of the spill appear to be limited to the immediate area. Residents of the city of Aqaba, which is ten miles away from the port, were advised to stay at home with the windows and doors closed, [*The Washington Post* reports](). Prime minister Bisher al-Khasawneh visited a nearby hospital, guaranteeing "all resources to ensure the total security of workers at the ports and all necessary precautions in relation to hazardous materials," as [quoted by the *BBC*](). **READ MORE:** [Chlorine gas leak at port in Jordan kills at least 13, injures hundreds]() \[*The Washington Post*\] **More on toxic gases:** *[NASA Plotting Journey Through the Hellish Atmosphere of Venus]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()