The Department of Environment under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth, and Environment and Coast Guard teams carried out efforts to examine the level of contamination at sea, which is thought to be caused by an oil spill from a ship.
The head of the Environmental Protection Department Abdullah Aktolgalı who spoke to BRT said that the Environmental Protection Department, the Girne District Governorate, the Girne (Kyrenia), and Çatalköy (Agios Epictitos) Municipality and Girne Branch Headquarters held an extraordinary meeting on the issue this morning.
Samples were taken for necessary examinations to be carried out.
Aktolgalı also stated that the spill at the Karaoğlanoğlu (Agios Georgios) and Çatalköy shore is a stretch of approximately 100-120 meters. Aktolgalı said that the municipalities of Girne and Çatalköy undertook the land cleaning, while the Coast Guards are working at sea.
Noting that there is nothing to be afraid of, Aktolgalı said that the thick deposit of the leakage was encircled to prevent it from spreading. The oil will then be absorbed by sorbents and destroyed.
The cleaning process is expected to be completed by the evening if there is no change in the direction of the currents.
It was stated that work on land may take longer, however, the municipalities will work hard to complete the cleaning process sooner, Aktolgali said.
