Ekta-ektaryang coral reefs, nanganganib na masira dahil sa oil spill sa Oriental Mindoro
Aabot sa 41-kilometer radius na tinatayang nasa 591 ektaryang coral reefs, 1,626 ektaryang mangroves at 362 ektaryang seagrass/seaweeds ang maaring masira dahil sa oil spill sa lumubog na barko MT Princess Empress sa Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
Ito ay base sa ginawang aerial surveillance at site assessment na ginawa kahapon nina Environment Secretary Antonioa Loyzaga, Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science Carlos Primo David, Dr. Fernando Siringan ng University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) at mga miyembro ng DENR Oil Spill Task Force.
Nasa 21 locally managed marine protected areas (LMMPAs) ang nasa Calapan.
“Initial findings estimate the length of the oil slick to be 25 Km trending NE-SW and most of the oil is confined in a narrow band of approximately 300-500 meters. The potential for the oil to reach northern Palawan was also discussed,” pahayag ng DENR.
Nanganganib din na maapektuhan ng oil ang Verde Island Passage, ang globally recognized center of the center of marine shorefish biodiversity.
Nagsasagawa na ngayon ang DENR at UP-MSI ng disaster forensics para sa naturang insidente.
Magpapadala naman ng dalawang barko, ang BRP Hydrographer Ventura and BRP Hydrographer Presbitero sa Naujan para magsagawa ng multibeam survey upang matukoy kung nasaan ang lumubog na barko.
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