Asia/Pacific News
Bunker Spill Reported in Philippines
A leak in a pipe connected with a storage tank in the Philippines city of Manila spilled bunker fuel into the Pasig River Saturday, the Philippine Star reports.
Reports on the amount of oil spilled varied, with the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) estimating that it was 15,000 liters, while the Coast Guard put it at only 100 liters, according to the newspaper.
The leak occurred late Saturday, and the situation was under control by early Sunday, MDRRMO said.
The pipe appeared to have been improperly repaired and covered with plastic, the newspaper reports.
The spill resulted in an odor that some residents initially believed was a gas leak, and people living within a 100-meter radius were evacuated.
Another Philippine news outlet, Solar News, said authorities are putting the amount of oil spilled at around 1,000 liters, and that the Coast Guard had collected only 100 to 200 liters.
The oil spill affected two to three kilometers of the river, and the Coast Guard used oil spill booms and absorbing pads to control its spread.
Coast Guard Commander Christopher Meniago said it would take two to three days to completely remove the oil, and effects on the environment will last longer.
Authorities found that a band wall that was intended to prevent oil from entering the drainage system had holes, which allowed the oil to seep into the river.
