Brazilian state declares state of emergency over oil spills
Posted October 14, 2019 10:11 am.
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia is declaring a state of emergency after several of its beaches were contaminated by oil sludge.
Brazil’s environmental agency reported Sunday that some 20 beaches in the state popular with tourists had been polluted by oil leaking from an unknown source since the beginning of September.
The mysterious oil has polluted at least 150 beaches in nine different states.
Brazil’s environment minister has said the oil is very likely of Venezuela origin – a claim denied by Caracas – but authorities are still trying to determine the source of the leak.
The main hypothesis is that the oil spilled from a vessel passing near the Brazilian coast.
The Bahia government signed the declaration of the state of emergency on Monday.
The Associated Press
