KALBA 16 June 2017: The Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah announced that its specialised team, in collaboration with the competent authorities, responded to the light oil spill off Kalba City coast in the Eastern region of Sharjah on Wednesday, June 14.
The beach was temporarily closed as a precautionary measure while the necessary equipment and manpower were mobilised in an effort to track and investigate the source of the spill and to clean up the affected area.
Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah, said: “In response to a report by the Coast Guard about a half-mile oil spill in Kalba, detected in the area opposite the Culture Centre, we have moved to contain the oil spill and remove the residual oil stain. We have coordinated to get the latest satellite image of the area”.
She added that the source and reason of the oil spill is currently being investigated and a shoreline survey is being conducted to the area to remove the oil stain.
“Such oil spills have an impact on marine flora and fauna. Therefore, efforts should be made from the moment the spill is detected and our team spared no efforts in containing the oil spill”, she concluded.
The oil slick is caused by the oil spill, which is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, and it is a form of pollution, requiring an immediate response.
A few months ago, the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah held a meeting in response to the oil spill off the Southern Coast of Kalba City in the Eastern region of Sharjah, which stretched over one kilometre of the ocean. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in Sharjah (EPAA), Sharjah Police, the National Emergency and Crisis and Disasters Management Authority – Sharjah Centre, Kalba Municipal Council, Kalba City Municipality, the Armed Forces, the Coast Guard and the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations LTD (ADCO). Attendees discussed various issues related to evaluating the response operations.
By Angel Chan