ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Effects of Oil Spill Near Spain

ENVIRONMENT REPORT - November 29, 2002: Effects of Oil Spill Near Spain

By Cynthia Kirk

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This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

A ship carrying more than seventy-five-million liters of oil sank November nineteenth in waters near the coast of
northwestern Spain. Spanish officials say the ship spilled more than ten-million liters of fuel and oil.
Environmental experts say the oil threatens fish and many different kinds of sea life near the coasts of Spain,
Portugal and France.

The ship, called the Prestige, was damaged during a severe storm. The ship began leaking oil November
thirteenth after strong waves caused the ship’s hull¹ to break open. Within a week, the ship split in two and sank.
The ship went down near the coast of Spain’s Galicia area.

Environmental experts believe the cold temperatures at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean will cause the remaining
oil to harden and prevent it from spreading. Experts say the depth of the sea makes it almost impossible to pump
the remaining oil from the tanks. Spain’s government says it plans to send a small submarine to examine the
sunken ship for leaks.

Devices on several anti-pollution ships were able to remove more than three-hundred-thousand liters of oil from
the sea. However, oil from the Prestige has spread over more than three-hundred kilometers of coastline in the
northwest Galicia area. Crews set up floating barriers to contain the oil. More than nine-hundred workers have
used buckets and shovels² to remove more than one-thousand-five-hundred tons of oil waste from one-hundredforty beaches.

The coastal³ waters of northwestern Spain support many kinds of sea life and birds. Workers have collected
hundreds of oil-covered birds and sent them to a cleaning center in the city of La Coruna. Most of the birds were
dying.

Fishing and seafood⁴ harvesting has been banned along the coast of Galicia, forcing many fishermen out of work.
Government officials promised financial aid for fishermen and others affected⁵ by the disaster.

Environmental officials criticized Spain’s decision to order the ship far away from its coast after it began
leaking. The ship was towed in open waters for several days because no European nation would permit it in their
port. Spain said the decision avoided a much worse environmental disaster along its coast. However, experts say
it will take years to correct the damage to the environment.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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1 hull   

n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳

参考例句：

• The outer surface of ship's hull is very hard.船体的外表面非常坚硬。
• The boat's hull has been staved in by the tremendous seas.小船壳让巨浪打穿了。

2 shovels   

n.铲子( shovel的名词复数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份v.铲子( shovel的第三人称单数 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份

参考例句：

• workmen with picks and shovels 手拿镐铲的工人
• In the spring, we plunge shovels into the garden plot, turn under the dark compost. 春天，我们用铁锨翻开园子里黑油油的沃土。 来自辞典例句

3 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

4 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

5 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。