Mauritius Is Reeling From A Spreading Oil Spill But It Has Brought The Best Out Of The Public.
Many Mauritians are frustrated at the perceived lack of a swift response to the ecological disaster the Japanese oil carrier, now split in two, has caused.
The environmental disaster that Mauritius is facing is starting to appear as its pristine waters turn black, its fish wash up dead, and its sea birds are unable to take flight, as they are limp under the weight of the oil covering them.
Centuries-old coral surrounds the tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean
The vessel had been transporting when it crashed into Mauritius’ coral reefs, had been released into the lagoon unleashing the worst ecological disaster in the Indian Ocean history.
It was not clear how much more oil had been spilled since the split of the vessel on 15 August 2020, where oil could still be seen streaming from the vessel.
Reuters noted that the area around Mauritius will feel a slow, insidious impact, as the corals and fish become the first to die off.
That means the remaining corals will be increasingly vulnerable to marine heatwaves, which are becoming more frequent and more extreme as the climate crisis unfolds.
The Japanese owner of the vessel, Nagashiki Shipping Co Ltd, issued a statement on 16 August 2020 when asked how much oil had been spilled since 11 August 2020.
