Volcanic eruption in Tonga causes oil spill in Peru

Oil-soaked seabirds on a beach north of the Peruvian capital Lima. The Peruvian coast is polluted with heavy oil for kilometers. On Sunday, emergency teams tried to save what can be saved. According to Peru’s Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez, the pollution started when a tanker was delivering oil to a refinery on the coast. “It is unfortunate to see that it is having a serious impact on the sea and coast. Originally it was said that 2.2 kilometers were affected, but now we are seeing that two beaches have been affected. Indeed, the waves have a lot of oil on them carried these little islands.” The responsible environmental authority has initiated investigations. According to experts, the volcanic eruption near Tonga could also have triggered unusually high waves off the coast of Peru and thus ultimately be responsible for the oil spill. Scientists warn that the leaking toxins could affect the environment for years to come. So does Marco Brenna, a geologist from the University of Otago in New Zealand. “As the cloud rose more than 20 kilometers, it reached far into the stratosphere. Much of this ash and gas will remain in the stratosphere and circulate around the globe for a number of weeks and possibly months. And on the ground: The ash has covered most of the landscape in Tonga, which can be seen on satellite images, and this has mainly affected sources of drinking water, vegetation, pastoralism because the volcanic ash is toxic.” Neither has the fisheries only off Tonga could be affected.The eruption, which could be heard in New Zealand 2300 kilometers away, triggered a tsunami.The effects were felt in the USA, Japan and also in Peru.