Peru says oil spill caused by Tonga explosion is an ecological disaster

The high waves caused by the Tonga submarine volcano explosion caused an oil spill in a refinery last weekend. The Peruvian government says the incident is an “ecological disaster.”

The oil spill affected around 18,000 square kilometers, including protected areas and fishing regions, harming animals and plant life, according to Peru’s Foreign Ministry.

"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. 

The spill came from a tanker that was unloading crude at Repsol’s La Pampilla refinery when the strong waves hit the ship. Around 6,000 barrels of oil were spilled, according to the company.

“It is unfortunate. I am seeing that there is a serious impact on the coastal marine area. Initially, two and a half kilometers (of damage) were reported, but now we see that it has affected two beaches,” Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez told reporters.

The Foreign Ministry is demanding compensation from Repsol, a Spanish company. Peru’s Supervisory Agency for Investment in Energy and Mining ordered one of the refinery’s terminals to cease operations until the causes for the spill are determined.

“We did not cause this ecological disaster, and we cannot say who is responsible,” said Repsol spokesperson Tine Van Den Wall Bake.

According to Peru’s Prime Minister, Mirtha Vasquez, Repsol did not have a contingency plan for an oil spill. Environmental groups are also criticizing the company’s response to the oil spill.

“An oil spill caused by the waves from an undersea volcano eruption in Tonga is devastating marine life along Peru's Pacific Coast including guano birds, seagulls, terns, sea lions, and dolphins,” tweeted environmental group Oceana Peru.

#BREAKING: An oil spill caused by the waves from an undersea volcano eruption in Tonga is devastating marine life along Peru's Pacific Coast including guano birds, seagulls, terns, sea lions, and dolphins. https://t.co/xb9ZAJlIxf

— Oceana Press (@PressOceana) January 19, 2022

"There is a massacre of all the hydrobiological biodiversity," said Roberto Espinoza, a local fisherman. "In the midst of a pandemic, having the sea that feeds us, for not having a contingency plan, they have just destroyed a base of biodiversity."