Toxic Rain Falls on Russia’s Tuapse City in Oil Facility Blaze
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An image taken by the Copernicus Sentinel satellite on April 16 shows smoke over the port city of Tuapse and the surrounding coastal area. Source: BloombergArticle content(Bloomberg) — Polluted rain fell on Russia’s Black Sea city of Tuapse as authorities struggle to extinguish a blaze at local oil facilities following a drone attack, highlighting the environmental effects from the war in Ukraine.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle content“Due to the intense fire, combustion products were released into the atmosphere,” the regional emergency services said in a Telegram statement late Wednesday. Soot, ash and chemicals mixed with atmospheric water, resulting in rain that covered surfaces with a “black coating,” the authorities said, urging residents to stay inside with the windows sealed. Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentAir-quality tests taken in Tuapse on Tuesday showed the concentration of soot, benzene and xylene — pollutants known to present substantial health hazards — was two to three times above normal, according to the statement.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentIt’s the first time that regional authorities have acknowledged the environmental damage to the Tuapse area from fires caused by Ukrainian drone attacks this month. Tuapse is not only an industrial and energy hub, but also a popular Russian resort on the Black Sea coast. The acknowledgment also comes right before the traditional May holiday season in the country. Article contentUkrainian military forces have been striking the port of Tuapse, home to a major export-focused refinery and a fuel terminal, as part of efforts to disrupt energy infrastructure and reduce the Kremlin’s ability to reap windfall profits coming from a global rally in oil prices.Article contentEarlier this month, a Ukrainian strike at Rosneft PJSC’s Tuapse crude-processing plant and its fuel terminal resulted in a fire that was extinguished only four days later. The plume of smoke could be seen from space, according to satellite imagery from the European Union’s Copernicus Browser. Article contentArticle contentThe strike also caused an oil spill in the Tuapse river and the coastal area, according to regional authorities.Article contentOn Monday, Ukraine again targeted Tuapse with drones, and a new fire that broke out has yet to be extinguished. Regional authorities have raised the number of firefighters in the area to 276 people, and the amount of firefighting equipment to 77 units. Rosneft did not respond to Bloomberg requests for comments about the situation at its 240,000-barrel-per-day refinery and the terminal capable of loading 17 million tonnes of fuel a year.Article contentRussia’s repeated and intense strikes on Ukrainian civil infrastructure have also resulted in significant environmental damage. The most notable is the 2023 breach of the Kakhovka dam — the largest man-made environmental disaster in Europe in decades.Article contentTrending An old factory in Welland, Ont., sat derelict for years — until someone discovered it could be worth billions Mining Posthaste: Uh oh! Another economic domino falls in Canada on the war in Iran News U.S. trade czar threatens Canada over boycott that’s hurting booze makers Retail & Marketing Why retirees are often shocked by tax bills and how to reduce them Personal Finance Should Caroline, 62, defer CPP and OAS until age 70, or even delay retirement entirely?
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