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Citizens Lead Cleanup Operation in Mauritius Following Oil Spill

A citizen-led cleanup operation is underway in Mauritius after a Japanese tanker ship began to spill oil into the ocean around August 6.

Videos shared by political party Rezistans ek Alternati on August 7 and 8 show citizens gathered near Mahebourg Waterfront ready to lend a hand as the country faces an environmental crisis.

It’s estimated that tanker ship, the Wakashio, which ran aground off the coast in late July, leaked 1,300 tons of crude oil into the ocean, and local media reported that the worst case scenario could see that increase to 4,300 tons.

Citizens were handcrafting straw-filled flotation devices in order to corral the spread of the oil on the surface of the water, as seen in this footage. Credit: Rezistans ek Alternativ via Storyful