China News Service, January 20. According to Reuters, the eruption of a volcano in Tonga triggered unusually high waves, which led to an oil spill at an oil refinery in Peru, implicated in a large number of animals, plants and fishermen. The Peruvian government described it on the 19th as an accident "Ecological Disaster".
It comes after an undersea volcanic eruption in Tonga triggered unusually high waves and a tanker leaked while offloading cargo from Spanish energy company Repsol's La Pampilla refinery.
The La Pampilla refinery, located in the province of Callao near the capital of Lima, is considered Peru's main oil processing plant.
On January 18, local time, in Callao, Peru, workers check the pollution on the beach.
About 6,000 barrels of oil were leaked, according to Repsol.
Peru's foreign ministry also said that the oil spill caused damage to flora and fauna in the 18,000-square-kilometer protected area around the islands and fishing areas.
The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has demanded compensation from Repsol for the accident.
"This is the worst recent ecological disaster near Lima and has severely damaged hundreds of fishermen's families. Repsol must pay for the damage immediately."
At present, Peruvian prosecutors have launched an investigation into Repsol.