Peru: with 6,000 barrels of oil spilled, the ongoing oil spill declared an "environmental emergency"

Words commensurate with colossal damage.

After 6,000 barrels of crude oil spilled a week ago on its shores, the Peruvian government on Saturday announced a 90-day "environmental emergency" for the coastal area damaged by the oil spill that continues to spread and despair residents .

This measure should allow “sustainable management of the affected areas”, with “recovery and sanitation works” to mitigate the consequences of this disaster, hope the authorities.

For the Peruvian Ministry of the Environment, the declaration of emergency is justified by the fact that the oil spill "constitutes a sudden event with a significant impact on the coastal marine ecosystem of great biological diversity" and represents a "risk high for public health”.

This statement indicates that Repsol is responsible for implementing the immediate and short-term action plan.

Satellite images show coastlines lined with black water in northern Peru.

REUTERS/Maxar Technologies

The Peruvian coasts north of Lima were stained with oil that spilled at sea when crude oil was unloaded from a tanker at the La Pampilla refinery, owned by the Spanish company Repsol, in the region of Lima.

According to the refinery, the accident which took place on January 15, was caused by a violent swell, following the volcanic eruption in Tonga.

The tanker, the "Mare Doricum" flying the Italian flag, was loaded with 965,000 barrels of crude oil.

Mobilized, Repsol nevertheless refuses to bear the responsibility

For its part, Repsol considers that it should not bear the responsibility for this disaster, pointing out the fact that the Peruvian maritime authorities had not issued a warning about the possible consequences of the eruption in Tonga.

The company has nevertheless deployed teams and specialized equipment to combat pollution at sea and on land.

We are committed to remedying the effects of the accident in Ventanilla, and wish to convey our solidarity with all people affected as well as express our feelings towards the natural environments and marine species affected.

All the info https://t.co/2ETi8VHI6F and @repsol_peru

— Repsol Worldwide (@RepsolWorldwide) January 22, 2022

On Saturday, Repsol issued a statement on the cleaning operation, saying that 1,350 people were mobilized on the ground and ensuring "to deploy all efforts to manage sanitation", including the use of floating barriers to try to contain the pollution.

A threat to flora and fauna

According to the Peruvian authorities, the oil spill is moving with the sea current in a northerly direction, which endangers the flora and fauna in two protected natural areas, the National Reserve of the System of Islands and Islets "over approximately 512 hectares". and the Ancon Protected Area “over 1758 hectares”.

It has already polluted 21 beaches and caused the death of marine species while its potential economic effects are worrying, in particular depriving fishermen of any livelihood and causing the desertion of tourists. "It's the wildlife, our lives and our jobs that are under attack", despairs Rodney Vasquez, 30, captain of a small fishing boat, son of a fisherman who has spent his whole life in the coastal region of Ancon, asked about the port. At his side, the fisherman Alfredo Roque fears a lasting influence on fishing. The baby fish "are already dead, the young ones, most are eating at the seaside, and the seaside is full of oil," he says.

At the port of Ancon, only large vessels, which fish on the high seas, continue to work.

But the fish stalls remain empty, customers having deserted.

"Nothing sells... The fish smells of oil and people don't buy it... They are afraid of being poisoned by the oil spill," says Giovana Rugel, 52, who sells fish at the entrance from Ancon Pier.

A “huge economic loss” for tourism

In addition to the fishing industry, the tourism sector is directly affected, restaurateurs, parasol rental companies, itinerant beach vendors… The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roberto Sanchez, estimated on Saturday the economic losses at more than 50 million dollars, all sectors combined, mainly fishing and tourism.

Read alsoEruption and tsunami in Tonga: at least one dead and considerable damage

“In normal season, between January and March (the summer season in Peru), five million people frequent the affected beaches.

The economic loss is immense,” the minister said, referring to a “mortally damaged tourism chain.”

“Thousands of jobs are affected,” he insisted.

Tourists usually basking on the beaches of Ancon have been replaced by teams hired by the Repsol oil company and NGO volunteers to shovel the dirty sand.

Peru demanded damages from Repsol on Wednesday.

He gave her 10 days to comply with all cleaning and decontamination actions.