After fuel tanker sinks, a wave of illness
Dozens report symptoms in the Philippines as authorities work to contain a spreading slick
A tanker carrying more than 200,000 gallons of industrial fuel oil sank off the Philippines coast. Then, dozens of people reported vomiting, headaches and nausea.
At least 43 people were suffering from these symptoms of illness since the oil reached the shores of Oriental Mindoro province, on an island 85 miles southwest of Manila, provincial health officer Cielo Ante said Wednesday, according to local media.
No one was hospitalized as of Wednesday evening, Ante added. Authorities had not yet confirmed whether the symptoms were a direct result of the oil spill. A curfew was imposed for people under age 21 in the province’s municipality of Pola, and authorities declared a state of calamity.
The MT Princess Empress tanker sank Feb. 28. A passing cargo ship rescued the 20 crew members onboard. It is not yet clear what caused the vessel to sink.
Authorities said they found the tanker 7.5 nautical miles from Balingawan Point on Monday.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that he hopes the cleanup will take less than four months, and he promised efforts to help affected residents.
Kazuhiko Koshikawa, the Japanese ambassador for the Philippines, announced on Twitter that Japan will send a disaster relief expert team on oil removal and control. “We are one with you in these trying times,” he added.
This comes a month after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Researchers said the contamination in the soil, water and air following the incident could pose long-term risks for local residents.
A floating oil spill boom was deployed Wednesday in the town of Pola, after days of rough sea conditions hampered previous efforts to contain the oil slick, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armando Balilo said.
“In the span of nine days, it’s getting worse. The stench from the oil is getting stronger as the weather is also getting hotter,” Jennifer Cruz, the mayor of Pola, told CNN Philippines.
While the amount of diesel and industrial fuel oil that leaked into the water is unknown, the oil has been spotted as far south as Semirara island, more than 80 miles from where the tanker sank.
The Philippine Marine Science Institute predicted that more than 140 square miles of coral reefs, mangroves and seaweed, including marine protected areas, may be affected by the disaster.
Thousands of fishermen were ordered to stay ashore, and swimming was banned in at least seven coastal towns shortly after the spill, further jeopardizing Oriental Mindoro’s largely fishing and tourism-reliant economy. The world-famous tourist destination Boracay is also said to be in peril.