Peru declares climate emergency due to oil spill – News

This Thursday (20), Peruvian President Pedro Castillo will sign a decree declaring a state of emergency. Brigades fight to control oil spill caused by waves after an explosion Volcano in Tonga, Whose damage extended to 21 beaches in the center of the country.

Hours after the eruption of an underwater volcano in Tonga in the Pacific Ocean, on Saturday (15) off the Peruvian coast, a leak occurred by irregular waves, like a tanker carrying oil through pipes to the La Pambila refinery. , From the Spanish company Repsol.

According to a report by the Environmental Assessment and Research Institute (Oefa, its Spanish acronym), as of this Thursday, the area affected by the leak has increased to 1.7 million, according to aerial footage obtained using drones. 1.2 million square meters on land and sea.

“Inanimate birds have been identified,” the agency added.

This Wednesday (19), the Peruvian government described the recent worst “catastrophic environmental disaster” in Lima as it endangered plants and animals in two natural areas, and demanded that Repsol immediately compensate for the damage.

Repsol said in a statement on Thursday that its designated divers team was investigating the underwater damage caused by the leak and that it had installed more than 2,500 meters of control barriers and was recovering 10 ships with an additional 50 troops. The product was dumped into the sea.

We regret that we did not adequately report all the commitments and measures taken to mitigate the impact of the oil spill, the company said.

Copyright © Thompson Reuters.