Kannur (Kerala): At least eight students of a nursing college were hospitalised on Saturday following a gas leak from a tanker lorry in Ramapuram in this district.

The students of the college developed uneasiness and breathing difficulty and were rushed to Pariyaram Medical College and Pazhayangadi taluk hospital.

Their condition is stable, police said.

Hydrochloric acid leaked from the tanker lorry on Friday evening when it was enroute to Ernakulam from neighbouring Karnataka.

Though a fire force team from Payyannur and Pariyayam police rushed to the area and initiated further proceedings, the leak could not be not contained completely, authorities said.

The leak was detected in the rear side valve of the container and the vehicle was soon shifted to a safer place by the fire force.

Thaliparamba Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Ajayakumar said steps were being taken to transfer the gas to another tanker.