The death toll in Sri Lanka is growing after the country's worst environmental disaster caused by the sinking of the cargo ship
The sad toll of dead animals in Sri Lanka following the country's most serious environmental disaster is growing: the carcasses of thousands of birds, over 170 sea turtles, twenty dolphins and four whales have been found
There are dozens of marine turtle and seabird carcasses found on the west coast of Sri Lanka every day. And this is just one of the devastating consequences caused by the sinking of the cargo ship carrying 25 tons of nitric acid and microplastics. According to experts, the one that occurred about a month ago would be the largest environmental disaster in the country. The residents of the area collect the carcasses of marine animals returned from the sea every day, together with the volunteers who are working to clean up the beaches, whose ecosystems will continue to be compromised for decades.
The death toll is truly disturbing: 176 turtles, 20 dolphins, four whales and thousands of seabirds, killed by toxic toxins released by chemicals.
Dead whale, dolphins & turtles wash ashore at Sri Lanka after S'pore-registered ship fire https://t.co/2qKfIyklOY pic.twitter.com/RZAgTzMyYP
— Mothership.sg (@MothershipSG) June 17, 2021
The terrible accident began on May 20, when a fire broke out on the MV X-Press Pearl, which was carrying 1.486 containers, including 25 tons of nitric acid along with other chemicals (28 containers of microplastics) and cosmetics. The ship then sank on June 2, as a rescue team tried to tow her away from the coast. And the damage of what has happened is incalculable and in the coming months the toll of dead specimens is destined to grow.
Who is responsible for the environmental disaster off the coast of Sri Lanka? The Russian captain of the X-Press Pearl…
Posted by CGTN on Friday, July 2, 2021
The images of the microplastics (so-called “nurdles) that have invaded a large part of western Sri Lanka have traveled around the world. These small plastic balls represent, in fact, one of the main sources of microplastic pollution of the oceans. Due to their small size and round shape, they are often mistaken for food by various marine species that die after ingesting them. Additionally, nurdles can also absorb other dangerous chemicals over time, helping to contaminate much of the food chain.
Sri Lanka's WP coastal belt is now covered in #PlasticPellets
This is an unprecedented marine environment disaster!
All fishing industry in western half of #SriLanka & South of #India will be severely affected for the foreseeable future
Ic: Colombo Gazette #mvxpresspearl pic.twitter.com/H8gswcVOiD
— The Pearl Protectors (@PearlProtectors) May 27, 2021
The Sri Lankan government has appointed 15 people - including the Russian captain Tyutkalo Vitaly of the cargo ship as co-defendants for the heavy damage caused to the ecosystem, while in many areas of the country fishing has been banned due to the health risks deriving from the disaster ecological.
Fonte: WWF/Twitter
Read also:
- Cargo ship sunk in Sri Lanka, oil and chemical spills are causing invaluable environmental damage
- Sri Lanka: there is an alarm for microplastics that ended up in the sea after the fire on the cargo ship. Compromised ecosystems for years
- Fish have been ingesting microplastics for over 70 years, shocking new study
