NAIROBI, July 29: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Saturday expressed ‘grave concern’ over the environmental crisis unfolding off the Lebanese coast, where thousands of tons of fuel are gushing into the sea after Israeli aircraft bombed a power plant.

The Nairobi-based UNEP said the oil slick, caused by the destruction of the Jiyyeh power utility 30 kilometres south of Beirut, is now reported to be affecting up to 80 kilometres of the Lebanese coastline and threatening that of Syria too.

“The government of Lebanon has requested international assistance from the United Nations and we stand ready to do all we can as soon as it is possible to carry out this urgent work,” UNEP executive director Achim Steiner said in a statement released here.

“We share the Lebanese authorities’ concerns over the impact on coastal communities who are being affected by an environmental tragedy which is rapidly taking on a national but also a regional dimension.

“We must also be concerned about the short- and long-term impacts on the marine environment, including the biodiversity upon which so many people depend for their livelihood and living via tourism and fishing,” he added.

Israeli forces bombed the tanks at the power station on July 14 and July 15 — a few days into their offensive on Lebanon.

The leak from one of the tanks, which are located just 25 metres from the sea, has now stopped but another containing 25,000 tons of fuel oil is still on fire and is in danger of exploding. Between 8,000 and 10,000 tons of fuel are on the shore and 5,000 on the open water.

The agency said Algeria, Cyprus, the European Community, France, Malta and Spain have responded to appeals and the Malta-based Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) is giving daily advice to the Lebanese environment ministry how to tackle the slick.

“But when the conflict is over, we must do all we can to rapidly pinpoint pollution hotspots in rivers, in the air, in the sea and on the land which can have a detrimental impact on human health and well-being,” Steiner added.

“Other sites, from ports to industrial facilities, have been struck which may be leaking toxic chemicals into the environment putting at risk local populations and aid workers,” he added.

According to Lebanese Environment Minister Yacub Sarraf, between 10,000 and 15,000 tons of heavy fuel oil have spilled out into the sea, covering once golden beaches and rocks with black sludge.

“It’s without doubt the biggest environmental catastrophe that the Mediterranean has known and it risks having terrible consequences not only for our country but for all the countries of the eastern Mediterranean,” Mr Sarraf said in an interview.

“Until now, the worst ecological disasters have taken place in the oceans and it’s the first time that an oil spill has happened outside the open sea,” said Mr Sarraf. “We can have no illusions.”

Mr Sarraf said that the cost of cleaning up Lebanon’s beaches — which until the bombardment were major attractions for locals and tourists — will cost between 45 and 50 million dollars and would not be finished until next summer.

Last week, the Lebanese authorities wrote a letter to the United Nations asking its various bodies and specialised agencies to deal with the oil pollution affecting their coast.—AFP