Tonga tsunami causes 'ecological disaster' in Peru

The Peruvian government said the oil spill at a refinery in Peru following the volcanic eruption and tsunami in Tonga last weekend caused an "ecological disaster".

The Peruvian government sent forces to clean up the coast after the oil spill. (Photo: Reuters)

Peru's Foreign Ministry stated that the oil spill had harmed plant and animal life in protected areas covering an area of ​​​​about 18,000 square kilometers around the country's islands.

The oil spill from an oil tanker unloading at the La Pampilla refinery of the Spanish oil company Repsol was attributed to unusually large waves following the eruption of a large submarine volcano in Tonga. out about 10,000 km away, causing a tsunami.

The Peruvian government has also called on Repsol to pay for the spill.

"This is the worst ecological disaster to occur around the province of Lima in recent times and severely damage hundreds of fishing families. Repsol must immediately compensate for the damage," Peru's foreign ministry said. confirm.

Peruvian prosecutors opened an investigation into a Repsol company following the spill. Peru's Environment Minister Ruben Ramirez met with Repsol officials and said that about 6,000 barrels of oil had spilled.

Peru's Mining and Energy Investment Supervisory Authority (Osinergmin) said in a statement that it had ordered the closure of one of the refinery's four ports until the cause of the spill was determined. .