PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th October, 2020) KAMCHATSKIY, Russia, October 4 (Sputnik) - The environmental situation on the shores of Russia's Kamchatka peninsula is gradually improving days after the mass stranding of sea animals and a hike in oil products in the seawater were reported in Avacha Bay, governor Vladimir Solodov said on Sunday.
In late September, surfers frequenting the Khalaktyrsky beach reported getting skin rashes and swollen eyes. A 3.6-time increase in oil products was later detected in the water and a two-fold increase in acidic compound phenol. Photos and videos of the beach covered with dead marine life have since been shared online by locals.
"I can state that today the situation in Avacha Bay is favorable, people are resting on the seashore, and the situation is normalizing in general, thanks to the unique ability of the ocean to heal itself. We will seek ... a full and thorough study of the causes, but now we state that the situation has significantly improved in recent days," Solodov said on his Telegram channel.
According to the governor, adjacent small bays, where similar stranding of sea animals had been registered, were inspected on Sunday.
"In general, the color of water nowhere deviates from the norm, and there are no stains or contamination. We also made a quadcopter flyby, which confirms these conclusions. Indeed, there are groups of stranded sea urchins and stars in a number of bays, and several [dead] octopuses were seen in one place. Scientists will deal with the cause of the die-off of marine animals. Water samples have also been taken," he added.
The official noted that tests would reveal what substance could have caused the situation. Ichthyologists would also evaluate other factors that could have led to the die-off of the animals.
