Pollution
Humain
Environnement
Economique

In Belarus, a leak was detected in a 377 mm diameter pipeline carrying gas oil causing 120 tonnes of hydrocarbons to be spilled in the DAUGAVA river for 5 hours. The emergency services contained the most of the gas oil at the source except 4 tonnes that managed to pollute the largest river of Latvia, a tributary of DAUGAVA. The slick travelled at a speed of 2.5 km/h. The Latvian authorities were informed the following day and the pollution has already reached the country on 26/03.

The Latvian emergency services tried to install oil booms at the border but were unsuccessful due to the strong river current and the soil instability. The rescue work was further complicated by the need to seek special permission to carry out operations in the Belorussian soil. The rescue services installed oil booms over 1,800 m and absorbents over 3,000 m at 50 km from the border, as well as other lines of oil booms at 100 km from the border in a storage reservoir of a hydroelectric plant. These measures allowed the spilled gas oil to be recovered. The Latvian authorities alerted the masses on the pollution and the associated risks of using the river water. The Latvian environmental department regularly analysed the water to check pollution levels in the zone.

Environmental damage in the Latvian territory and the clean up operations were assessed at 170,000 euros.

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