KARACHI, Aug 13: Fourteen-kilometre long Clifton beach was sealed for public after the leakage of 50,000 tonnes crude oil into the sea from the aground Greece flagged ship, stranded in Keamari channel.

Tasman Spirit, carrying 67,000 tonnes crude oil, ran aground on July 27, while piloting to the Keamari port due to inclement weather.

Around 1,000 policemen besides Rangers personnel had been deployed along the Clifton beach after its sea water turned oily emanating odd smell. The people were disallowed to visit the Clifton beach and the roads leading to the Seaview and other parts of the Clifton beach were also closed for vehicular traffic.

Spokesman for the Rangers Capt Mohammad Imran said, “Rangers have been deployed along the Clifton beach for the safety of the people. They are stopping the people to approach sea water, as it turned oily. The personnel have also been provided with masks to avoid breathing the bad smell of crude oil,” he added.

IGP Sindh Syed Kamal Shah told Dawn that the beach had been closed for public safety and it would remain sealed until the Karachi Port Trust gave clearance.

He said, “We have established a ‘public address office’ near helipad in Clifton, where announcements are being made to educate people not to go to the beach, as it turns dangerous. I am standing right now at the beach along with Sindh Chief Secretary, Capital City Police Officer, DIG operations and other officials and I can smell the odour of oil, which is spreading all along here,” he informed.

Mr Shah said, “It is unfortunate that we have closed the beach at the time, when it is the night preceding the independence day and full moon as well. People usually throng to the Clifton beach on this night, but the things have turned ugly and we have to close the beach for the benefit of citizens. The floodlights at Seaview beach have also been switched off and the people coming to the beach are being stopped and returned from different places.”

He said the police had been asked to make announcements at different points to inform people that the Clifton beach had been closed and they should not go to the beach. Announcements were also being made on television and radio channels to educate the people about the danger of oily water.

Clifton town police officer Munir Shaikh said, “We have been trying to arrange masks for the police personnel deployed at the beach. As soon as the masks are arranged, they will be provided to the policemen,” he informed.

A visit to the Clifton beach showed that the police and Rangers started taking measures on Wednesday afternoon, while a number of people had arrived at different points of the beach following the news of heavy oil spill from the Tasman Spirit in the morning. Most of them were the residents of Shireen Jinnah Colony, who acted promptly and started collecting oil in buckets and small drums.

Later, the police and Rangers were seen patrolling along the beach refraining people from going to the sea. The people were even not allowed to approach the side wall along the road on Wednesday evening.

Despite deployment, a large number of curious people, including women and children, were seen standing at the Bilawal House Chowrangi to get a glimpse of the situation. Besides, a crowd was also seen at the helipad in Clifton, Shireen Jinnah Colony and other spots, from where they could see the stranded ship and oily sea water.

The closure of the Clifton beach and the roads caused traffic jams on various roads leading to the beach. The flood of vehicles kept on surging, as the citizens were trying to approach Clifton beach to celebrate the independence day.