Singapore Handles Oil Spill Incident in Coastal Area

A number of workers cleaned the beach from the oil spill on Tanjong Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore, Sunday (16/6/2024)/ANTARA PHOTO/Xinhua/Then Chih Wey/tom.

SINGAPORE - Singapore authorities are urgently conducting beach clean-up and oil spill response activities, considering that many coastal areas are closed and there has been significant damage to tourism activities and the ecosystem.

This was stated in a joint statement issued by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), the National Parks Board (NParks), and Sentosa Development Corporation on Sunday (16/6).

They said that due to tidal currents, some of the oil spill reached land along the southern coastline including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands, Marina South Pier, and East Coast Park.

As of June 16, there were no signs of oil spills within the Sisters' Islands Marine Park, but oil sheen was visible in the surrounding waters, according to the statement reported by ANTARA from VNA-OANA, Monday, June 17.

NParks has also deployed oil absorbent pads to protect Berlayer Creek and Rocky Shore in Labrador Nature Reserve.

While West Coast Park was not affected, oil absorbent pads were also installed at West Coast Park to protect the mangroves in Marsh Garden.

Following the oil spill incident on Friday (14/6), beaches at East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve, beaches at St John's, Lazarus, and Kusu Islands have been closed.

Sentosa Area - Sentosa Beach remains open to the public, but marine activities and swimming are not allowed at Tanjong, Palawan, and Siloso beaches.

The incident also affected people's lives, as residents at Sentosa Cove were forced to leave their homes on June 15 due to the unpleasant smell. The cruise ship business suffered losses, while tourists were frustrated by the pollution

A YachtCruiseSG employee said the company cancelled four bookings on June 15, with a loss of about SGD 3,200 (IDR 38.9 million).

Sentosa Development Corporation said that while cleaning the beach, it also focused on minimizing the impact on the surrounding waters and wildlife.

Currently, NEA is monitoring the water quality at other beaches, while MPA will investigate the incident.