South Sudan: Another pipeline break causes environmental, health problems
An oil pipeline break in South Sudan is causing environmental damage and health problem, just two months after the rupture of another pipeline in the same region.
The latest pipeline break occurred in Kailoy, roughly 10 kilometres west of the Unity Oil Field. Residents say the leak caught fire on 21 December and burned for two days, producing thick plumes of smoke. Two months earlier, a different pipeline burst in South Sudan’s former Unity State, raising concerns over the state of the country’s crude oil facilities.
Second pipeline leak in South Sudan
Following the fire broke out, residents report a rise in airborne diseases, which they suspect was caused by the oil fumes polluting the air. Locals say a lot of people are coughing in the area while some have experienced skin problems and eye pain, among other symptoms.
Residents have criticised oil companies for failing to detect spills and their inability to put out fires caused by nearby charcoal makers, which many believe caused the fire.
In October, an oil leak at another pipeline was discovered by a soldier in the former Unity State while he was hunting for wild fruits.
Featured image: By VOA – South Sudan Government Says Rebels Torched Oil Facility, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82758917
