MUSCAT: The Environment Authority continues to monitor the repercussions of the vessel grounding incident near Al Qibliyah Island, part of the Al Hallaniyat Islands archipelago in the Governorate of Dhofar.
Efforts are under way to conduct and execute monitoring, survey, and environmental handling operations in coordination with relevant entities, using technical monitoring means, satellite imagery, and numerical models to track the movement and spread of oil slicks and predict their potential landing sites.
The authority clarified that Wednesday’s monitoring results showed that some beaches in the Ras Madrakah area were affected by oil pollution, with expectations of an affected coastal stretch reaching up to 40 km in length in the same area, alongside the possibility of the southern beaches of Masirah Island being affected in the coming hours within a range of 10 to 20 km according to current data. Meanwhile, specialised teams continue follow-up and response efforts and take necessary measures to limit its spread and minimise its potential impacts, giving priority to areas of high environmental sensitivity.
The authority called on fishermen, beachgoers, and members of the community not to approach any spotted materials or pollutants and to report them to the competent authorities, reaffirming its continued tracking of updates and announcing any developments through official channels.
The public should also consider the health and safety hazards of the toxic exposure because crude oil and petroleum products release harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that cause respiratory distress, nausea, dizziness and skin irritation when inhaled or touched. — ONA
