Oil spill threatens Catanduanes villages

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines  – An oil spill from a sunken cargo vessel is threatening the fishing grounds of five barangays in Baras town in Catanduanes.

Gov. Joseph Cua yesterday said they have confirmed the oil spill off east Catanduanes.

Cua said he dispatched a vessel and members of the provincial disaster and management team to monitor the oil spill and help the affected fishermen.

He said oil booms were also set up to control the oil spill.

Nieva Santilleces, Catanduanes provincial disaster officer, said fishermen from Barangays Pananogan, Batalay, Bote, Jalocim, Salvacion and Potsan reported that oil has started to seep out from M/V Sun Spirit, staining their nets and sticking to the hull of their boats.

“We have to do something for the affected fishermen,” Santilleces told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

Raffy Alejandro, Office of Civil Defense regional director, said a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) plane conducted an aerial survey of the oil spill yesterday.

Capt. Felipe Macababad, deputy commander of the PCG, said a seven-man team, including divers, have also been deployed to the area.

“We are sending our team there to determine the volume of the oil slick and contain the oil spill,” Macababad said.

The sunken cargo vessel was carrying some 290 tons or 290,000 liters of bunker oil and 36,000 liters of diesel.          

Helma Canon, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology science research assistant based at Lignon Hill Observatory here, said she is hoping that the earthquake that hit Baras and Virac yesterday will not aggravate the situation.

A magnitude 5.5 quake jolted Catanduanes at around 8:17 a.m. yesterday. It was felt at Intensity 3 in Virac and Baras towns, Intensity 2 in Sorsogon City and Intensity 1 in Legazpi City and Irosin City. – Celso Amo, Cet Dematera