[ad_1]
Photo: RBC
Consequences of Pacific pollution
Greenpeace called the situation an ecological disaster, but Kamchatka authorities said there is still no talk of large-scale water pollution.
Last week it became known about the pollution of coastal waters on the Pacific coast of Kamchatka. The first to realize this were the surfers riding on Khalaktyr Beach in Avacha Bay. They complained of eye pain, blurred vision and nausea after contact with the water, and also spoke of dead fish, shellfish and seals on the beach.
What happened in the Pacific Ocean?
Versions of what happened
The Department of Natural Resources found an excess of twice the norm for phenols and four times the norm for petroleum products in the water in the Khalaktyrsky beach area. They also revealed signs of water contamination with petroleum products in three more areas of Avacha Bay. Greenpeace called the situation an environmental disaster, but Kamchatka authorities said there is still no talk of large-scale pollution.
RBK
In the media, among the possible causes of contamination, they mention the leakage of petroleum products from a passing tanker, or the discharge of waste into the river by the military. Although, the Russian Defense Ministry categorically denies any involvement in the incident.
The governor of Kaychatka, Vladimir Solodov, mentioned three possible reasons for the incident: technogenic contamination (spill of toxic substances), natural impact (accumulation of toxic microalgae) or seismic activity associated with volcanic manifestations. Later, scientists called the latest version unlikely.
Journalist Yuri Dud posted a video of a large oil slick off the coast. The recording was made from a helicopter; you can see that the stain spread for hundreds of meters. The journalist also quoted the words of local surfer Anton Morozov, who said that, judging by satellite images, the contamination started a few weeks ago. “There was no reaction to prevent the catastrophe and save the situation. Probably, if the people responsible for this event were more courageous and declared their mistake and started rescue operations, the magnitude of this could be kept under control, ”Morozov said.
In vidos – Kamchatka right now. In the photo in a respirator: Anton Morozov @snowave_kamchatka, the same surfer from our number on Kamchatka, who, together with his friends, turned Khalaktyrsky beach into a world attraction. Here’s what he writes: “Just 3 weeks ago, everyone started experiencing strange and unpleasant symptoms after surfing. Blurry, dry, painful and dull eyes. Sore throat, swollen ligaments and sitting. The taste of the ocean is bitter, not salty, completely unusual. After a while, we, about 20 people who live in the camp and who travel often, were poisoned. We decided it was an intestinal infection. And no parallels were established. It was strange, but the water was a bit clear, we attributed it to possible allergic reactions to plankton or other natural biological processes and waited for the predicted storm. There was a hope that all this would happen to him. But that turned out to be the beginning. On Monday, the information went online. The authorities sent specialists to take samples. The water became increasingly strange, muddy, thick. The photos and videos came from different ends of the coast, showing mountains of dead inhabitants everywhere. Preliminary sample results showed an excess of petroleum products 4 times and phenol 2 times. Yesterday and today, many rushed out of the ocean. Symptoms appear even without contact with water. New information arrives every hour and recently Greenpeace satellite images were received of the river that empties into the ocean and which, apparently, brought death to all living things. The chronology images of September 1, 9 and 24 show that on the 9th the river was already pouring tons of poison into the ocean. Turns out it’s been almost a month. There was no reaction to prevent the disaster and save the situation. Probably, if the people responsible for this event were more courageous and declared their mistake and began rescue operations, the magnitude of this could be kept under control. But for a month, poison has been coming out of the river, killing everything around it. (The first video is a stain in the ocean, the third is just horror)
Post by Yury Dud (@yurydud)
The Kamchatka authorities have released his video: there is a clean beach on it. The recording, which the region’s Ministry of Natural Resources released two hours before Dudya’s post, shows the coastline without traces of oil and dead marine animals. “The color of the water is normal, the smell of the air is normal, the beach is completely clean,” says the caption of the video.
The exact causes of water pollution in Kamchatka are still unknown, the investigation continues.
Opinion of environmentalists
The death of marine animals indicates contamination not only on the surface, but also in the water column, according to Kamchathydromet and the Russian branch of the World Wildlife Fund.
The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation does not consider what happened in Kamchatka as a large-scale catastrophe, because not a single person was killed, not a single person was injured.
[ad_2]
