20,000 liters of chemicals leaked in the US state of West Virginia

Nearly 20,000 liters of chemicals were leaked from the tank of a chemical plant in the US state capital of Charleston, West Charleston, into the Elk River.

West Virginia governor Virginia Earl Ray Tomblin had to declare a state of emergency for six districts and mobilize the state's national defense force to distribute water to residents and public service facilities.

People lined up to get clean water.(Photo: Reuters)

This leak caused many schools, West Virginia state businesses to shut down and about 300,000 people without drinking water.

The West Virginia state government also advised people to temporarily not use tap water because the leak occurred right next to a water plant.

US President Barack Obama has also declared a state of emergency in the state of West Virginia.

With this decision, the federal government will allocate 75% of the budget for equipment and resources for handling leaks.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the past few days have also transported many bottled freshwater supplies to affected people.