According to International news, an offshore oil spill near the coast of Ecuador has spread to land. On 19th July, it reached a popular beach and appeared in nearby waters.
The spill is located close the city of Esmeraldas, about 200 miles north of the capital Quito, near Ecuador’s border with Colombia.
State oil company Petroecuador, which runs the Balao maritime terminal where the spill originated, said that it had deployed workers to handle the spill, but did not reveal how much crude was unleashed into the ocean.
A military helicopter survey of the affected area showed blackened waves stretching along the shoreline and depositing a viscous substance on the beach, according to a video that was posted on Twitter.
In addition, Petroecuador said in its update that its export and fuel supply activities were not affected by the spill.