On Top of the Humanitarian Disaster...

UN Warns of Environmental Disaster In Lebanon's Coast



Up to 35,000 tons of oil have spilled into the Mediterranean following Israeli air strikes. The Lebanese government is calling it the biggest ecological catastrophe in the country's history.

Between July 13 and 15, Israeli jets bombed the Jiyyeh power station, located 30 kilometers south of Beirut, and caused up to 35,000 tons of fuel oil to gush into the sea. The oil slick has now spread along 80 kilometers of Lebanon's 225 kilometer coastline and has already reached Syria. A clean up operation is badly needed, but continuing hostilities in the region have made this virtually impossible. Now, the catastrophe is threatening to damage the environment across many parts of the Mediterranean.

The ocean is a vital source of income for many Lebanese, through fishing and tourism. Many fish and crabs have already perished and others are covered in oil. The Lebanese beaches that were once so popular with tourists could be polluted for some time to come.