Serious pollution has been detected in water near the Kamchatka Peninsula • Authorities claim it is an oil leak but locals fear it is a pesticide leak from a secret plant
Environmental activists take samples of seawater in Kamchatka
The Kamchetta Peninsula is one of the wildest places in the world and among its vast nature reserves, where human hand has touched little if any, live hundreds of species of plants and animals.
But now there are fears in Russia that an ecological disaster of unknown origin will be harmed by the delicate ecosystem of the vast peninsula.
Thousands of sea creatures, including seals, fish, octopuses and sea urchins, were washed ashore dead and signs of chemical poisoning were found all along the shores of the eastern peninsula.
Laboratory tests performed by environmental organizations revealed a large amount of toxins in the water.
The state news agency Tas claimed that it was an oil leak from a tanker near the island's shores but no evidence was provided.
Environmental activists, on the other hand, claim that it is a leak of toxins and pesticides from a secret plant located in the peninsula and operated by the military.
Environmental activists fear that water pollution will seep into the entire local ecosystem through the migration of salmon to island streams, where bears and other mammals feed on the fish that reach their birthplace to reproduce and die.
Local authorities tried to downplay the value of the disaster, the opposition newspaper Moscow Times reported, posting a video saying: "Seawater color is normal, odor is normal and there is no sign of contamination."
But thousands of photos uploaded by locals on the peninsula to social media tell a much more serious story.
That of the dead animals and claimed oily and smelly seawater stains returned in post after post.
Irena Yarvaya, deputy chairman of the Russian House of Representatives, announced the opening of an investigation into the matter. Locals claim they started feeling the problem about three weeks ago when three local divers returned from diving feeling bad. ".
