When a chemical cargo ship sinks in Sri Lanka, locals fear the worst Environmental News

Colombo, Sri Lanka – It has been the same routine for more than a week on Pamunugama beach in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the capital Colombo.

Sri Lankan naval officers arrive in hazmatic clothing and begin collecting plastic pellets resembling fish that were washed ashore on May 20 after a fire broke out in a chemical cargo ship.

Authorities are now pushing for the possibility of an oil spill after the sinking of the MV X-Press Pearl Island, a Singapore-registered island off the nation’s west coast, in the worst environmental disaster man has ever committed.

Rescue teams tried to get the ship out of Sri Lankan waters on the orders of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The crew canceled the mission on Wednesday evening after the ship began to sink. Parts of the boat were spotted across the water on Thursday.

The cargo ship was carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tons of nitric acid and other hazardous chemicals.

Hazardous waste on beaches

By Wednesday evening, hundreds of bags full of toxic waste had been collected by naval officers from various parts of the beach and taken away.

Kasun Milinda is badly affected by falling fish sales, and fears oil spills could make things worse [Aanya Wipulasena/Al Jazeera]

A small stretch of beach is in front of the house of 44-year-old Anton Chandana.

“In the beginning, there were big piles of these little specimens. The batteries were higher than me, ”Chandana told Al Jazeera on the beach, watching smoke come out of the boat on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, the plastic pellets continue to dry clean on the beach, constantly. Chandana said how much to pick up and take away, the beach is once again covered in white.

The Sri Lankan Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) and the National Water Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) are investigating the effects of the marine disaster on the island.

Smoke from a fire in the MV X-Press Pearl container ship in the seas of the port of Colombo [File: Sri Lanka Airforce Media/Handout via Reuters]

When they contacted Al Jazeera, experts investigating the incident said it was “too early to reach any conclusions.”

Experts like marine ecologist Kamal Ranatunga have said the effects can be varied.

“This ship was carrying dangerous chemicals. Their impact can be great but short term. Mostly, fish eggs could be killed in that area, ”he told Al Jazeera.

Fears of oil spills

But Ranatunga said he was worried about a possible oil spill. If that happens, he said the consequences could be long-term and “very lasting”.

“Efforts must be made to recover from the oil spill,” he warned.

Last year the COVID-19 event took place at the Peliyagoda fish fair [Aanya Wipulasena/Al Jazeera]

In anticipation of the disaster, the Sri Lankan navy and other state agencies, along with the adjacent coastguards of India, are taking the necessary measures, including the use of offshore oil booms.

The Navy has deployed a nine-member diving team to study the condition of the sunken ship.

In a news release on Thursday, Captain Nirmal Silva, the port master, said authorities believe most of the oil on board was already burnt.

The National Oil Spill Emergency Plan (NOSCOP) has been on standby with MEPA and other agencies in the event of an oil spill, he said.

“It’s been 36 hours now since the ship went down. So far we have not seen any oil spills, ”Silva said.

Ranatunga said the disaster will affect the lives of communities in the area that are dependent on marine resources, especially fishermen.

Residents, fearing chemical contamination, have already reduced their fish consumption.

According to Sri Lanka’s Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources Development, Douglas Devananda, about 12,000 fishermen and another 3,993 people are dependent on the surrounding fishing trade.

“We have banned fishing in this area. We plan to look into the matter for another 10 days before deciding to end or continue the ban, “he said. The government has decided to give Sri Lankan 5,000 rupees ($ 68) to members of the affected community.

‘Don’t want it to get worse’

For 36-year-old fishermen like WKS Tharanga, in the western province of Wattala, it is a terrible tragedy.

Tharanga sits at his fish stand in Peliyagoda [Aanya Wipulasena/Al Jazeera]

Last year, fish sales fell across the island following a COVID-19 outbreak at the Peliyagoda fish market, one of the country’s most important fishing sites.

Tharanga, the father of two children, also sold fish at the Peliyagoda market. He says he continues to struggle with the low demand for fish.

“I come here every day at 2am to sell my fish. We have also reduced prices but there are no buyers. If this continues, it will be very difficult for us to feed our families, ”he said.

Kasun Milinda, a 23-year-old fisherman from the area, has the same story.

“My whole family depends on the income I get from fishing. But today we are not allowed to go fishing. I don’t know what will happen to us if this continues. “

Milinda says she hopes there will be no oil spills from the ship “because it will scare consumers even more.”

Most of the residents near the coast are also afraid that they may get sick as a result of the smoke thrown from the burning vessel.

“Sometimes when it rains, I smell like burning plastic. It’s very scary, ”Kumari Dissanayake, a 50-year-old Kumun Dissanayake, the mother of two from Pamunugama, told Al Jazeera.

“It’s as bad as it gets. Plastic contaminates this beach. We don’t want it to get any worse than that, ”Dissanayak says.