Following the crude oil spill at a refinery near Lima, UN experts are evaluating and proposing immediate steps to curb its environmental impact
A team of UN experts has arrived in Lima to analyse the environmental impact of the massive oil spill off the coast of Lima. On January 15, an oil spill, estimated to be of about 6,000 barrels, took place at a refinery near Lima, operated by Spanish energy company Repsol.
According to the Environmental Assessment and Control Agency under the Ministry of Environment, Peru, the oil spill affected about 1.8 square km of coastline and 7.1 square km of sea.
On January 22, the Peruvian government declared a 90-day environmental emergency in the coastal area of Lima.
Responding to Peru's request for international aid, the UN sent its team to evaluate and propose immediate steps to curb the environmental impact caused by the oil spill in Ventanilla.
The team of UN specialists intends to carry out a rapid assessment of the socio-environmental impact of the oil spill and advise the authorities on the management and coordination of the response.
According to Repsol Peru's President Jaime Fernandez-Cuesta, "There was initially a "misperception" about the amount of crude oil spilled into the sea, but containment efforts were begun "as soon as there was awareness of the magnitude of the event".