It's a race against time. Salvage crews had worked round the clock to prevent a second disastrous oil spill off the picture-perfect coastline of Mauritius, with a damaged tanker carrying thousands of tons of fuel at risk of splitting apart. It had run aground on a coral reef. A look at the ecological damage that was averted.....
What happened?
The bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on 25 Jul with 6,000 tons of fuel on board and began seeping oil, staining coral reefs, mangrove forests and tranquil lagoons, bringing about an unprecedented threat of environmental catastrophe for the archipelago nation.
More than 1,000 tons had already oozed out from the ship, its Japanese operator had said, causing untold ecological damage to protected marine parks and fishing grounds that form the backbone of Mauritius' economy.
Strong winds delayed work
Fuel was being airlifted the following Monday by helicopter to the shore but efforts to pump more from the hold were thwarted by rough seas and strong winds. The weather, which was also fanning the oil slick further up the coast showed no signs of improving, at that point of time.
Fresh cracks identified
Some fuel was removed but 2,500 tons still remained on board towards end-Jul. Divers had reported fresh cracks in the hull, while creaking sounds from the vessel could be heard from the southeast shore, where a major clean-up operation was undertaken.
Around 400 sea booms were deployed to contain the spill.
State of Emergency
PM Pravind Jugnauth had declared a state of emergency and appealed for international help. He had then said that the spill "represented a danger" for the country.
Measures that were taken
* People had created long floating oil booms to slow the spread on to the coast. The hastily made fabric booms, stuffed with sugarcane leaves and straw and kept afloat with plastic bottles were effective. * People were also using empty oil drums to scoop up as much oil as possible from shallower waters.
The latest sitrep
All the oil that was on board the tanker has since been pumped out and a major disaster was averted.
Tailpiece.
Had got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a half past 9. Suma had fetched up for work after a lapse of five days. Phew! She has a small strip of plaster around the calf region of her right foot, which didn't hamper her work. She wasn't allowed to go to the first floor for work.
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