Massive oil spill off Changi East

There was a massive oil spill of Changi East on 25 May. Shores nearby include Tanah Merah, East Coast and our northern shores including Changi, Ubin (Chek Jawa) and Pulau Tekong.

from Channel NewsAsia video clip 25 May;

Oil of course can seriously harm our seagrasses.

How big is the oil spill?
MPA said a helicopter recce by the Republic of Singapore Air Force at 2.20pm 25 May found an oil slick measuring 4 kilometres by 1 kilometre, about six kilometres south of Changi East. By volume it is "enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool", or "equivalent to three days of leakage from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

From a Reuters video clip 26 May 10;

Dispersants being sprayed on the spill,
from a Reuters video clip 26 May 10;

Oil boom around the damaged tanker,
from Channel NewsAsia video clip 25 May;

A close up view shows the damage on the Malaysian flagged MT Bunga Kelana 3 after a collision with a bulk carrier in the waters between Malaysia and Singapore May 25, 2010, from Reuters

Photo from the Straits Times

What is being done to deal with the spill, what is the likely impact on the environment? Has any crude landed on our shores? What about the 'petrol smell' in the air? For info on these questions and other updates and news see:

• Singapore Changi East Oil Spill (25 May 2010) Facebook Page for latest info, updates and observations of the oil spill.
  
• wild shores of singapore updates with consolidated news and checks on our shores for signs of crude and impact of spill.