Oil-like slick pollutes 2km stretch of Kemaman shoreline

 

An oily substance resembling diesel or petrol has polluted about 2km of coastline at Teluk Kalong here since Monday. - NSTP/Rosli Ilham

KEMAMAN: An oily substance resembling diesel or petrol has polluted about 2km of coastline at Teluk Kalong here since Monday.

The slick has not only contaminated the beach but also killed marine life, including crabs, squid and large trevally, which were found washed ashore.

Fisherman Nazri Said, 52, said the pollution was first noticed at 4am on Monday when he and his companions were heading out to sea.

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"While walking in the dark, we stepped on patches of oil. It looked greyish and did not smell like diesel or petrol.

"When we returned at noon, there were more oil patches, and fish and squid were found dead on the shore. I believe the deaths were caused by the pollution," he said.

Nazri said the same recreational beach had previously been affected by a coal spill in January.

"Now it is an oil spill," he said.

Another fisherman, Mohamad Hasnam Khalid, 55, expressed concern that the pollution could affect the livelihoods of about 30 small-scale fishermen in the area.

"When marine life is found dead, we worry that our catch will be affected. Since the incident, our catch has already dropped slightly.

"We believe the oil patches may have originated from vessels passing through these waters," he said.

Meanwhile, state Department of Environment director Hamzah Mohamad confirmed receiving complaints about the discovery of dead marine life on Tuesday afternoon.

He said samples of the oil, seawater and sand from the affected area had been collected for analysis to determine the source of the pollution.

"The beach must be cleaned immediately. We will activate a coastal clean-up plan in collaboration with other government agencies," he said. - NST