Peru says oil spill caused by Tonga waves is an 'ecological disaster'

[Judi Lynn]

January 19, 2022
10:36 PM CST
Last Updated 7 hours ago
Americas

By Marco Aquino

2 minute read

LIMA, Jan 19 (Reuters) - An oil spill at a refinery in Peru during high waves caused by the explosion last weekend of a volcano in Tonga is an "ecological disaster," the Peruvian government said on Wednesday.

The foreign ministry said that the oil spill had harmed animal and plant life in protected zones over a combined area of some 18,000 square kilometers (6,950 square miles) around islands and fishing regions.

The spill from a tanker that was unloading crude at Spanish oil company Repsol's La Pampilla refinery was blamed on unusually large waves after the massive undersea volcano explosion in Tonga some 10,000 km (6,213 miles) away triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean.

. . .

"This is the worst ecological disaster that has occurred around Lima in recent times and has seriously damaged hundreds of fishermen's families. Repsol must immediately compensate for the damage," the ministry said on Twitter.

More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/peru-says-oil-spill-caused-tonga-waves-is-an-ecological-disaster-2022-01-19/

[intrepidity]

1. What did they think would happen during a tsunami?

It's not like they didn't have any warning!