A sealed “toxic” tank washes ashore near Garacad in Puntland State of Somalia

The sealed “toxic” tank that washed ashore at Ilfooshe coastal village near Garacad.

Galkacyo (PP News Desk) — Inhabitants of Ilfooshe, a coastal village near Garacad, woke up today to find a sealed toxic tank that had washed ashore on the beach. The tank, blue in colour, was purposefully secured with a rope to a handle on one side to facilitate dumping it into the ocean. Local authorities have advised villagers not to open the tank, as it may contain hazardous substances.

Environmental criminals dump toxic waste off the coast of Somalia despite the presence of anti-piracy forces. “Objects of this size wash ashore during the summer season,” said one of the locals. There are no guidelines for removing potentially hazardous objects that periodically wash ashore on the beaches of the Indian Ocean. The Puntland State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has yet to devise contingency plans to protect coastal communities against the effects of toxic waste dumping on the unprotected coasts of the Indian Ocean.

© Puntland Post, 2024