Months after a cargo ship ran aground and began spillingheavy fuelnear Rennell Island’s world-famous coral reef, another ship has reportedly spilled more than 5,500 tons of bauxite, the ore mined for aluminum, in the same locationin the Solomon Islands.

The spill occurred July 1, according to the Guardian, turning Kangava Bay’s typically teal waters a striking clay red. A separate ship spilled more than 100 tons of oilinto the eastern side of this same bay in February after strong waves pushed the ship into a reef. This time, however, weather wasn’t to blame. The bauxite ore, which is being mined from Rennell Island, “slipped” into the water during loading, reports the Guardian. Both times, the barges were owned by Bintan Mining Company, per Radio New Zealand.

These contamination events spell trouble for the local reef ecosystem, which is so special that the site sits on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They’re also having an impact on the roughly 1,200 people who live on the island, including members of the Tehakatu’u tribe, as they typically collect rainwater to drink and fish from the bay for food.

Last time, community members struggled with drinking water and food in wake of the disaster. People are being advised not to fish again, Derek Pongi, the Tehakatu’u Development Association chairman, told Earther via Facebook. But while Pongi says some are resorting to processed canned foods, The Guardian reports that other people aren’t heeding these warnings. Meanwhile, children continue to swim and play in the water, according to photos provided by Pongi.

The Tehakatu’u Development Association has been providing water to locals and has contributed almost $500 (4,000 Solomon Island Dollars) to the community since last week’s spill. They’ll need every dollar; this spill could impact the coral reefs permanently if they struggle to find sunlight beneath all the bauxite powder, per the Guardian. If corals die, it’s possible not as many fish will come to the bay anymore.

The environmental assessment for the last spill should wrap by July 17, according to the Guardian. In wake of this latest spill, Tehakatu’u Development Association will try to commission an independent assessment, said Pongi to Earther.  

So far, there’s no news on when clean up will begin or how long it’ll take for this most recent disaster—but the government needs to hurry up. People’s well-being is on the line.

Source: https://earther.gizmodo.com/

For the second time in six months, an environmental disaster is threatening a pristine coral reef and UNESCO World Heritage site.

A cargo ship ran aground in the Solomon Islands during bad weather in February, spilling tons of oil near the world-famous reef, known as East Rennell.

Now, another cargo ship has spilled more than 5,500 tons of bauxite — the primary ore used to produce aluminum — in the same area. The Guardian reports the rock slipped into Kangava Bay July 1 while it was being loaded onto a barge, turning the normally turquoise water a dark reddish-brown.

(MORE: Bourbon Pours into River After Fire at Jim Beam Plant)

The ship that ran aground in February was also loading bauxite at the time. Both ships were owned by the same company, Bintan Mining Solomon Islands. Bauxite mining is one of the few sources of revenue for local communities, but spills like this can spell disaster for them. More than 1,200 people call East Rennell home, living primarily by subsistence gardening, hunting and fishing.

After the oil spill, children were warned not to swim in the water and fishing was banned. But the Guardian notes many continued to fish for lack of other food sources. Test results are pending on whether the fish was contaminated.

People have been advised not to fish once again, but children are continuing to swim and play in the water. Lawrence Nodua, a spokesman for Oceanswatch Solomon Islands, told the Guardian there were reports some children were suffering from skin irritation caused by the water.

Experts say accidental spills of bauxite during the loading process could leave the ocean floor covered, making the water murky. This, in turn, could damage or kill corals that need sunlight to survive and attract fish the locals depend on for food.

The shipping carrier is negotiating with its insurer over cleanup costs, but they are expected to take time.

East Rennell is the largest raised coral atoll in the world. It was added to the World Heritage list in 1998, but was put on UNESCO’s danger list in 2013 due to logging and overfishing.

Source: https://weather.com