After the waters off the coast of Barangay Sto. Niño Sur, located in the Arevalo district of Iloilo City, were affected by oil sludge earlier this week, the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) has since advised locals to avoid swimming near the area.
“We would like to advise to avoid swimming in that area because we want to ensure safety first,” explained CDRRMO Operations and Warning Unit head Angeli Buencuchillo.
A coastal clean-up was earlier conducted along the said beach by various organizations.
Evidence of the oil spill could be observed along a two-kilometer stretch of the beach.
“Initial investigations revealed that the tar balls either came from Tigbauan or Oton, Iloilo,” Buencuchillo noted.
Last month, a “One Time, Big Time” coastal clean-up took place in Iloilo City’s Molo and Arevalo districts collected 18 tons of garbage.
“The coastal clean-up raised awareness among residents, especially those who are living along the shorelines, on the importance of having a clean sea,” said Iloilo City Environment Management Specialist Renan Escoto./WDJ