Naharnet - Kerosene Spill off Dora Threatens Environment - March 24, 2011

The leakage of kerosene from a ship unloading its cargo off the coastal town of Dora caused an environmental crisis in Lebanon on Wednesday as authorities mulled ways to contain the incident.The ship was unloading kerosene to gas and oil companies on the Dora shore when the leakage began due to a malfunction in the pipeline of the vessel's tank, said LBCI TV network. It reported that the environment ministry sent experts to the area to assess the environmental damage. According to LBCI, the kerosene spread to the entire Dora coast amid fears that the spill could reach other areas due to strong currents. The spill also caused bad smells in the area. Meanwhile, caretaker Minister of Environment Mohammed Rahhal arrived at Dora to assess the damage, saying: "The ministry had previously warned companies of the possibility of such a gas leak." He also held the concerned companies responsible for the leak.