Ecuador oil spill

A landslide triggered by heavy rains in the northwestern Ecuadorian province of Esmeraldas caused a rupture in the Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System (SOTE), spilling a large amount of crude oil into the Esmeraldas River and surrounding waters. Initial estimates put the volume of the spill at 12,000 barrels (about 1.9 million liters), but local officials say it could be as high as 200,000 barrels (about 31.8 million liters), spreading contamination 50 kilometers down the river and affecting at least five streams. Crude oil contamination of mangrove reserves, rivers and estuaries has led to a massive die-off of fish and aquatic life, with marine biologists describing the contaminated rivers as “no longer showing signs of life”.