Worst ecological disaster triggered by volcano off Peru coast

Tue, 25 Mar 2025

Worst ecological disaster triggered by volcano off Peru coast

RT.com
20 Jan 2022, 13:42 GMT+10

Worst ecological disaster triggered by volcano off Peru coast

Peru orders an oil company to compensate for the spill caused by a tsunami

The spill at the La Pampilla refinery, near the Peruvian capital, is "the worst ecological disaster that has occurred in Lima in recent times," the Peruvian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, adding that Spanish oil company Repsol "must immediately compensate the damage."

The ministry said the spill endangered the flora and fauna in two natural conservation zones covering more than 18,000 square kilometers (6,950 square miles).

Repsol released a statement, saying they were setting up containment booms and conducting coastal and beach cleanup in the affected areas. The company claimed that the spill from a tanker unloading crude oil was caused by "high tidal waves" formed by an underwater eruption of the remote South Pacific Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano on Friday.

The company's spokesperson, Tine van den Wall Bake Rodriguez, told reporters that Repsol should not be blamed for the disaster. She said the company initially failed to realize the magnitude of the situation because the oil flows traveled along the bottom of the ocean and were not immediately visible. Rodriguez added that the Peruvian Navy did not issue a tsunami alert at the time.

Giacomo Morote, the head of the Navy's oceanography department, said the eruption was a rare and "extraordinary event" that did not correspond to the existing guidelines of the warning system.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Argentina Star.

More Information

null in null

International

Section

New York court blocks law allowing over 800,000 non-citizens to vote

New York City law allowing non-citizens to vote struck down by court

NEW YORK CITY, New York: New York State's highest court has struck down a law this week that would have allowed over 800,000 legal...

40 times more people killed in Gaza than in the 7 October attack

Gazan death toll now forty times that of 7 October 2023

The death toll in Gaza on the weekend has passed 50,000, local health authorities have reported. What started the carnage was the Hamas-led...

USDA pledges $100 million for bird flu research, vaccine development

USDA to invest up to $100 million in projects to combat bird flu

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to invest up to US$100 million in research to develop...

US HHS orders removal of gun violence public health advisory

US HHS drops advisory labeling gun violence a public health crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed a 2024 advisory from its website that called gun...

Regulatory hurdles may leave US behind China in autonomous tech

Trump urged to speed up self-driving car regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Industry leaders are pushing the Trump administration to clear regulatory obstacles slowing the rollout of self-driving...

Israeli forces accused of deadly cruelty against Gazan hospital patients

HRW says Israel committed war crimes while occupying Gazan hospitals

NEW YORK, New York – Israeli military forces caused deaths and unnecessary suffering of Palestinian patients while occupying hospitals...

Business

Section

Wall Street jumps sharply on easing trade war tensions

U.S. stocks advance as Trump hints at flexibility on tariffs

NEW YORK, New York - Investors bought up stocks on U.S. markets Monday after President Donald Trump indicated he may pull back on some...

Boston Celtics sold for $6.1 billion to private equity mogul Chisholm

Private equity mogul to acquire NBA's Celtics for $6.1 billion

BOSTON, Massachusetts: Private equity investor William Chisholm has agreed to buy the Boston Celtics in a record-breaking deal worth...

US mortgage rates rise for second week, adding pressure on buyers

Average US rate on 30-year mortgage rises slightly for second week

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The cost of borrowing for a home in the U.S. ticked up again this week, marking the second straight increase as homebuyers...

Apple TV+ bleeds $1 billion annually in costly streaming push

Apple losing over $1 billion a year on streaming service, report says

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA: Apple's ambitious foray into streaming is proving costly, with the company reportedly losing over US$1 billion...

Gold rally gains momentum as Citi lifts target to $3,200

Citi hikes gold price target for next 3 months to $3,200 per ounce

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Gold's record-breaking rally is expected to continue, with Citi Research increasing its three-month price...

Data center safety system nearly sparked US power crisis

Big Tech's data center boom poses new risk to US grid operators

BOSTON, Massachusetts: A routine safety mechanism at data centers nearly triggered a regional power crisis last summer, highlighting...

Movie Review

Werckmeister Harmonies (4K UHD) [Blu-ray]