Mumbai Oil Spill Getting Worse

MUMBAI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- As MSC Chitra continues to spill out oil, the environmentalists fear that the condition of the coastal area of Mumbai might get worse in days to come. The oil slick is spreading fast off the shore of Mumbai and the authorities are closely monitoring the situation to gauge the extent of the hazard that might be caused by the oil spill. The coastal areas of the Maharastra have been set on high alert as oil slick has already spread to the Alibag and Uran area. It has already covered an area of 2 kilometers around the ship and touched the coasts of Awas village. Oil slick also washed to the shore near Elephanta cave. Environmentalist fear that the oil slick might have an adversely affect the mangrove belt along the Mumbai coastline.

The Mumbai oil spill that is moving fast on its way to take a disastrous shape happened on Saturday when the two merchant ships, MSC Chitra and Khalijia collided at the mouth of the Mumbai harbor. Khalijia was standing at the shore for some repair work when the collision took place. The powerful collision titled MSC Chitra by 75 degrees and resulted in the oil spill. MSC Chitra was carrying a cargo of 1219 containers. At the time of collision the cargo contained 88040 liters of lubricant oil, 283 tons of diesel and 2662 tons of fuel.

Adding to the present trouble is the tidal conditions of the Arabian Sea near the Maharastra coast. Coasts guards said to media sources that it would be difficult to contain the Mumbai oil spill as the tidal conditions are not favorable. The Maharastra disaster management committee is scheduled to meet on Monday in a bid to find a solution to the present crisis.