UPDATE (Friday 1/5/24 @ 8am) The Corpus Christi Office of Emergency Management received information from the Goliad County Emergency Management Office concerning the source of the odor throughout the region on Thursday, January 4. The source of the odor came from a large spill in the Port of Victoria containing an unknown amount of crude oil mixed with diesel fuel and hydrogen sulfide. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is addressing the situation.
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The City of Corpus Christ’s Office of Emergency Management is working with regional agencies to investigate an odor reported in the Corpus Christi area.
Corpus Christi’s Metrocom dispatch has received several calls regarding the smell. In response, the Corpus Christi Fire Department has been dispatched to various areas in the city but did not detect any harmful chemicals.
The source of the odor appears to be from an area south of Victoria. However, there is currently no confirmation of the exact location of the smell due to wind directions. Additionally, no releases have been reported from local or surrounding industries.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has three teams monitoring the region, with locations including Corpus Christi, Portland, and San Patricio County. Other agencies assisting include the Council of Governments (COG), Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), Corpus Christi - National Weather Service (NWS), Port of Corpus Christi (POCC), and area Emergency Management Coordinators.
The safety and well-being of the community remain our the priority, and they will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
SOURCE: City of Corpus Christi press release