Israel pollution: Tar globs disfigure coast after oil spill

Israel pollution: Tar globs disfigure coast after oil spill

image copyrightReuters

image captionThick clumps of tar have been found on much of the coastline

Large globs of tar have washed up on much of Israel's Mediterranean coastline in what officials are calling one of the worst environmental disasters to hit the country.

Thousands of volunteers and soldiers are helping to clear the pollutant which is damaging wildlife.

Israel is trying to track the source of the pollution, which is thought to have come from a ship spilling oil.

The general population has been told to avoid the beaches.

Dozens of tonnes of tar have been found on many stretches of Israel's 190km (120 miles) Mediterranean coastline and there are fears it will take months, or even years to clean up.

NGOs have reported turtles and birds covered in oil.

image copyrightEVN

image captionThe Nature and Parks Authority has been dealing with tar-covered turtles

The pollution is "one of the most serious ecological disasters" in Israel's history, according to the Nature and Parks Authority.

The source is thought to be an oil spill produced during a storm on 11 February from a ship some 50km (30 miles) off the coast. Satellite imagery and wave patterns are being used to trace the ship responsible.

Environmental