UAE closes Ras Al Khaimah beaches day after oil spill shuts neighboring coastline
- Authorities give no reason for latest closure as cleanup continues along affected Umm Al Quwain shores
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- Authorities give no reason for latest closure as cleanup continues along affected Umm Al Quwain shores
By Yusuf Alioglu and Rania Abushamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - Authorities in the UAE announced on Saturday the closure of all beaches in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah until further notice, a day after beaches in neighboring Umm Al Quwain were closed following an oil spill from a tanker.
Ras Al Khaimah’s Public Services Department announced the closure in a statement on Facebook, urging the public to follow instructions from the relevant authorities for their safety.
It said the reopening of beaches would be announced later.
The statement did not specify the reason for the closure or whether it was linked to the oil spill affecting neighboring Umm Al Quwain.
On Friday, the UAE’s Climate Change and Environment Ministry temporarily closed all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain after detecting marine pollution caused by an oil spill from a tanker.
The ministry said the pollution had reached Umm Al Quwain’s beaches along the Gulf and caused odors noticed by residents in Sharjah and Ajman, as well as Umm Al Quwain.
It said the odors posed no health risks to residents and that specialist teams had begun containing the pollution, cordoning off affected areas and carrying out cleanup and remediation work.
The ministry also urged fishermen and sea users to refrain from fishing in affected locations and follow official instructions.
Authorities have not disclosed the location of the tanker responsible for the spill or the volume of oil leaked.
The neighboring emirates of Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain both overlook the Gulf. The extent of the pollution beyond areas officially identified as affected remains unclear.
Rania R.a. Abushamala