Photos reveal devastation from oil spill in Mauritius
Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, is reeling from an oil spill. On July 25, a Japanese ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground on a coral reef off the country's coast.
The freighter, which Mauritius says was carrying almost 4,000 tons of fuel, began breaking apart on Aug. 6, spilling about 1,000 tons of oil into the ocean, Forbes reported. According to the BBC, the incident occurred at "a known sanctuary for rare wildlife," Pointe d'Esny. Greenpeace Africa's Happy Khamule explained that "thousands" of species are "at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius' economy, food security and health," per the BBC.
Mauritius’ prime minister, Pravind Jugnauth, declared a state of emergency and asked for international help on Friday. A combination of volunteers, non-governmental organizations, and Mauritius' governmental efforts are cleaning up the spill. Japan and France have also offered to help. Winds measuring 31 mph are impeding the recovery though, the BBC reported.
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Photos of the spill show the devastation it's caused.
Topics Social Good
Siobhan was the Social Good reporter at Mashable, writing about everything from mental health to race to the climate crisis. Before diving into the world of journalism, she worked in global health — most notably, as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique. Find her at @siobhanneela.
