Bio Snapshot | Oil Spill on the Lebanese Coast Oil
Bio Snapshot | Oil Spill on the Lebanese Coast
Oil Spill on the Lebanese Coast
Mediterranean Sea
The conflict in Lebanon has caused an oil spill feared to be the worst environmental disaster in the country’s history.
On July 13 and 15, bombs hit storage tanks at an oil-fueled power plant. Between 10,000 and 15,000 tons of oil leaked from the tanks and is drifting in the Mediterranean Sea. Satellites have helped monitor the spill, but due to the instability of the area, site visits and initial cleanup began only recently.
Scientists are concerned about the hazards the oil poses to biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. It may coat bluefin tuna eggs floating in the water, and block young green sea turtles from swimming out to sea after hatching.
Image Credits
Middle East, August 2004 (Blue Marble Next Generation: satellite: NASA Terra, sensor: MODIS)
Lebanon, July 16, 2006 (Satellite: NASA Terra, sensor: MODIS)
Lebanon/Syria (satellite: NASA Landsat 7, sensor: ETM+)
Oil slick data July 21/Aug 3, 2006 (Satellite: ENVISAT, sensor: ASAR, map: ©DLR 2006)
Oil fire and spill (AP)
Bluefin tuna (Tuna Research & Conservation Center, Stanford University)
Green sea turtle (U. Keuper-Benett/P. Bennett, www.turtles.org)
Related Science Bulletins
Massive Oil Spills Stain Louisiana (September 26, 2005)
Alaskan Oil Spill Cleanup Continues (January 17, 2005)