A major oil slick was spreading north from Lebanon along the Syrian coast on Friday night and could devastate beaches as far away as Turkey and Cyprus, local ecologists and the United Nations have warned.
The slick, which has been growing since the start of hostilities, follows the bombing by the Israelis of fuel tanks at the Jiyyeh power station south of Beirut. Up to 35 000 tonnes of crude oil are believed to have escaped, making it one of the worst pollution incidents recorded in the eastern Mediterranean.
Tourist resorts along the Lebanese coast have been covered with a thick layer of sludge and fish spawning grounds have been destroyed. The slick is estimated to be more than 80km long and to have polluted 9,6km of Syrian coastline.
”Every day that passes will increase the potential damage of this tragic incident,” said UN Environment Programme director Achim Steiner. ”The spill is rapidly taking on a regional dimension. We must also be concerned about the short- and long-term impacts on the marine environment, including the biodiversity upon which so many people depend for their livelihoods and living, via tourism and fishing.”
The Lebanese and Syrian governments have asked Jordan, Kuwait and other countries for help in the clean-up operation, but access to much of the spill is said to be barred by an Israeli coastal blockade.
The regional marine pollution emergency response centre, based in Malta, confirmed on Friday that the oil had reached Syria. Environmental groups in Lebanon say the pollution could reach Turkey and Cyprus. — Guardian Unlimited Â