Picture released by Pernambuco State Government showing oil spilled on Peroba beach, located at the city of Maragogi, Alagoas state, Brazil, on October 17, 2019. /Photo Pernambuco State Government via VCG
Fourteen municipalities in three Brazilian states, located on the northeastern coast, declared a state of emergency due to oil slicks that continue to wash up the shores, after almost two months since the first oil stains appeared. 900 tons of oil have been removed from 2,500 kilometers of beaches as of Monday, official information shows.
On October 15, the ministry declared a state of emergency in seven municipalities in the state of Sergipe. According to the Ministry of Regional Development (MDR) press release, São José da Coroa Grande municipality in the state of Pernambuco was added to the official list on Wednesday, following the addition of another six municipalities in Bahia.
The oil slicks started reappearing in Brazil's northeastern beaches last week. The newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported that several small fishes were found dead, and more than 2,500 turtle eggs were moved so they would not hatch in contaminated areas.
The recognition of the state of emergency by the government means those municipalities have access to federal resources for cleaning. For Sergripe state, MDR released 2.5 million reais (around 619,000 U.S. dollars) to be used for complimentary cleaning services on the beaches, creation of oil collection points, and transportation. The authorities still haven't revealed how much they intend to allocate to the other two states.
In the case of Bahia, the federal recognition was a summary decision due to the gravity of the catastrophe, said the MDR. In these cases, the federal government acts before the local and state governments ask for help.
Since the beginning of the week, Gustavo Canuto, minister of regional development, and Colonel Alexandre Lucas, Civil Protection secretary, visited several municipalities to evaluate the situation and assistance possibilities.
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"The requests from the states and the municipalities need to arrive faster to the monitoring and evaluation group (GAA in Portuguese), and we need a large number of people to clean the beaches. Today, unfortunately, the only - and the most efficient – way to remove the oil slicks is by hand," said Gustavo Canuto, adding that the federal government mobilized 3,400 federal workers and collaborators and 5,000 soldiers.
Another 1,500 soldiers from the Navy and the Air Force were already involved in the Blue Amazon Operation aimed at investigating the origin of the slicks, monitor the oil stain in the sea, and clean the beaches.
The minister noted that monitoring the oil stain has been fundamental, but "unfortunately the substance is submerged and the majority of the times we only notice it when it reaches the shores."
Hundreds of volunteers have also taken matters into their own hands and participated in several cleaning actions side by side with the army.
In pictures: Brazilians rally to clean beaches polluted with large blobs of oil
Municipal workers and firefighters installing a floating barrier to contain oil spilled in Jaboatao dos Guararapes, Pernambuco state, Brazil, on October 21, 2019./VCG Photo
60,000 fishermen receive financial help
The federal government is also worried about the economic impact in the region, especially tourism and fishing activities. "As minister of regional development, I worry about making sure the northeastern region has the conditions to receive tourists in the high season and that fishermen are not affected," said Gustavo Canuto, adding that the authorities have to tranquilize the local population and tourists about the sanitary conditions in the beaches and food safety of fish and seafood.
The official stated the main objective is to clean the beaches as fast as possible. "We can't let this disaster affect our natural reserves, tourism, and the economy," Gustavo Canuto stressed.
In November, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA) will grant a part of the closed season insurance to 60,000 artisanal fishermen. The announcement was made on Tuesday. In the months when fish species are reproducing, fishing is not allowed, so fishermen receive a minimum monthly salary paid by the National Institute of Social Security.
MAPA will distribute 59.9 million reais (around 14.8 million U.S. dollars) to the fishermen in affected areas only.
In terms of financial impact in the fishing sector, the fisheries secretary Jorge Seif Júnior admitted that there are no official estimates. "We are just evaluating the impact; we still don't know the extension of the leak. It's premature to say," said Seif, quoted by Brazilian news portal G1.
The source of the oil slicks is still unknown. A report from the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources stated the oil is not of Brazilian origin, and another study conducted by state-run oil company Petrobras also said molecular tests from samples of the crude oil showed they were not compatible with the company's products.
Brazil's government has been going back and forth about Venezuela being the origin, but the country has denied it is to blame, said Reuters.