Ερώτηση Lebanon Oil Spill

A layer of crude oil covers the Ramlet el-Beida public beach in Beirut, Lebanon. Much of Lebanon's
coastline is now awash with crude oil after an Israeli air strike on a power plant sent 15,000 tons
(13,600 metric tons) of oil leaking into the Mediterranean.

Green groups are calling the oil spill the largest environmental crisis in Lebanon's history.

Lebanon Oil Spill Makes Animals Casualties of War
Mati Milstein in Tel Aviv, Israel
for National Geographic News
July 31, 2006
Add bluefin tuna and green turtles to the casualties in the Hezbollah-Israel conflict.
Green groups are calling an oil spill along Lebanon's Mediterranean shore the largest environmental crisis
in the country's history.

The spill came after Israeli planes struck a Lebanese power plant, dumping 15,000 tons (13,600 metric tons)
of oil into the eastern Mediterranean.
The massive spill has since spread along the length of Lebanon's coastline. Neighboring Syria has also reported
oil spots on its beaches.
"Depending on the winds and sea currents, the spill could reach Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus," warned Wael
Hmaidan of Lebanon's Green Line Association environmental group.
The attack set ablaze five oil tanks and caused the massive spill along the eastern Mediterranean coast. One
of the tanks continues to burn, and officials fear the fire could cause a sixth tank to explode.

Oil now covers the beaches, and Hmaidan says the baby green turtles—an endangered species—will suffer
extremely high fatalities.

Lebanese environmental groups said that bluefin tuna—a significant commercial species in the region that has
already suffered from overfishing—are also being threatened by the spill. (Read "Bluefin Tuna in Atlantic Nearing
Extinction, Conservation Group Says" [July 24, 2006].)
Hmaidan is traveling the Lebanese coastline to survey and document the scope of the oil spill.
"The images are horrifying," he said. "The oil covers entire beaches and seeps into the sand. The longer it sits
on the beach, the harder it will be to clean up ... We don't yet even know the extent of the pollution, because
we are still under fire and are not able to survey it properly."
In addition to marine damage caused by the spill, fires at the Jiyyeh facility ignited by the Israeli strike continue
to pour smoke into Lebanon's skies.
Plumes can be seen from 37 miles (60 kilometers) away, and smoke from Jiyyeh blankets Beirut when there are
southerly winds.


Slow Recovery

Cleaning up the spill is now the priority.
But the Lebanese are facing two obstacles—a lack of workers and equipment and an inability to operate cleanup
vehicles and ships along the coast due to Israeli military strikes.
In 2003 a 50-ton (45-metric-ton) oil spill dealt a huge blow to Lebanon's coastal environment. At the time
Lebanese environmental groups demanded the government acquire cleanup equipment and create contingency plans.
But nothing was done.
"Lebanon has no emergency response plan for such an oil spill," Hmaidan said. "Now this has happened, but we
are still not ready. We don't want to blame anyone in the current situation, but we need to act as quickly as possible."
The Lebanese Ministry of the Environment has asked for help from the United Nations Environmental Programme
(UNEP) and from the Kuwaiti government. Assistance from Kuwait is expected to arrive in Lebanon early this week.
Hmaidan said the cleanup would take some six months "if we have all the necessary equipment and manpower and
permission from the Israeli military."
But he says that Israel is not allowing equipment to operate on Lebanese beaches and has implemented a naval
blockade that prohibits ships—also needed in the cleanup effort—from taking to sea.
"We need an immediate cease-fire in order to do the cleanup," Hmaidan said.

Achim Steiner is a UN undersecretary-general and UNEP's executive director. He says the Regional Marine
Pollution Emergency Response Center for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) has put together a team of
experts ready to assist with the cleanup when hostilities cease.
Steiner said the spill is "rapidly taking on a regional dimension. We must also be concerned about the
short- and long-term impacts on the marine environment, including the biodiversity upon which so
many people depend for their livelihoods and living, via tourism and fishing."

Αλλη μια τεράστια καταστροφή

Δυστιχός δεν είναι απλά "Αλλη μια τεράστια καταστροφή".
Οι επιπτώσης σε τέτοιου είδους καταστροφές και υπο τέτοιες συνθίκες είναι μακροχρόνιες και για όλους μας.
Απο το πλανκτόν που εξαφανίζεται μέχρι τα ψάρια που δεν βρίσκουν να φάνε μέχρι τα νερά που δεν οξυγονόνονται, ακόμα και τα πτηνά και οι τουρίστες που θα έρθουν στην μακρινή Ελλάδα θα βρούν πίσες να επιπλέουν.
Πού είναι οι Πλανητόμπατση τώρα να βάλουν μια τάξη και να τραβήξουν το αυτάκι τον Ισραηλινών.....
Αλλά ναι ξέχασα.... τώρα θα χρεισθή να πουλήσουν (οι καημένη) νέο πετρέλαιο στους λυβανούς.
Με τεράστια ΟΡΓΗ.....
Άρης

ΥΓ Αν πρέπει, τότε ευχαρίστος να σβυστή η απάντηση μου.

Κώστα κανένα νέο για το θέμα??
Ξεκινήσανε καν΄΄ενα καθαρισμό

Δυστυχως παιδια, η ΑΤΙΜΩΡΗΣΙΑ ΤΩΝ ΙΣΧΥΡΩΝ...

Το λιμεναρχείο εκεί δεν έκοψε κανένα πρόστιμο.....

Ναι,σιγα που θα εκοβε,το λιμεναρχιο ξερει να κοβει προστιμα,μονο στους κακομοιρους τους ψαροντουφεκαδες ......