The steps of Old Main were illuminated by candlelight last night as students and members of the community braved the cold to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the tragedy in Bhopal, India.

Around 30 people gathered for the vigil last night to honor the victims of one of the worst industrial accidents in history, when more than 27 tons of toxic gas leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide factory, on Dec. 3, 1984.

The accident killed an estimated 8,000 people within the first week, and has since claimed more than 20,000 lives. It has also affected more than half a million lives in and around Bhopal, according to some estimates.

"This accident still isn't over after 20 years," Uma Asher (graduate-history) said. "People are continuing to be poisoned, and no one has been held responsible for the clear negligence that caused the accident."

Toxic waste still surrounds the disaster site and is polluting the ground and water supply around Bhopal. In the 20 years since the accident, 15 people every month are still dying from the toxic leak.

Sameer Marathe, president of the Association for India's Development, said he hoped the vigil would help increase awareness concerning the ongoing problems in Bhopal.

"There are still people with so many health problems -- people suffering from respiratory problems and temporary blindness, and compensation for their injuries is still an issue," Marathe said.

The financial compensation averaged only $500 per person, and there were no efforts to clean up the disaster site.

Marathe also said a main objective of the Bhopal effort is to bring the Union Carbide officials, who still deny responsibility for the accident, to trial.

More than 60 high schools and colleges throughout the United States organized events to recognize the disaster and organizations such as Students for Bhopal continue to seek justice for the victims.

Events took place at the site of the disaster, too. Thousands of demonstrators planned to march through the main streets of Bhopal, the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh, on Friday before holding a public meeting outside the abandoned Union Carbide plant.

At the Penn State vigil, students could sign an international declaration condemning the human rights violations in Bhopal. Postcards condemning the company's negligence were also sent to the CEO of Dow Chemical, which bought Union Carbide in 2001.

"Just as a human being, the fact that thousands of people were killed because of this, it is important to show solidarity in our support," Angeliki Vgontzas, Amnesty International co-coordinator, said.

Vgontzas also said student awareness is important, even thousands of miles away from Bhopal.

"Environmental destruction is never localized," she said. "Even though it seems like it is just in one small area in India, corporations have factories all over the world and this could happen to anyone, anywhere."

Many students in attendance said the vigil helped to raise awareness about the problems that persist in Bhopal.

"This was a huge example of the way corporation negligence can have tragic results," Theresa Haas (junior-biology) said. "Thousands of people lost their lives, and many are still affected today."

Sima Patel (sophomore-premedicine) said even though the accident happened 20 years ago it is important not to forget about the event because it is still claiming lives today.

"We have clean air and clean water, and I think we should say a prayer for those who don't," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.