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How Sri Lanka managed to tackle oil slick from stricken supertanker
International salvage experts boarding the fire-stricken oil tanker, New Diamond, in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka’s eastern coast.(Photo: Sri Lanka Navy)
The Sri Lanka Air Force airdropped dispersal-chemicals on the surface oil slick, created by the stricken oil tanker that caught on fire recently, to break down oil into smaller droplets that readily mix with water. It minimises the detrimental impact on the marine environment. Boats had been dispatched to the area to divide the oil slick into manageable portions, Marine Environment Protection Authority’s (MEPA) Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara said.
Kumara added that the oil slick was currently spread in a two nautical mile area, close to the damaged Super Tanker and slick could still pose a threat to Sri Lanka’s marine environment, especially fish species, sea mammals and o crustaceans.
Kumara said that in addition to Rs. 340 million sought by the Sri Lankan government for operations undertaken by its Air Force and Navy to prevent a far greater marine catastrophe, the country would seek Rs. 4 billion for the damages caused to its marine environment.
The MT New Diamond super tanker was transporting 270,000 MT of crude oil from the port of Meena Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when a fire broke out in its engine room, killing a crew member and causing serious burn injuries to its engineer in the eastern seas of Sri Lanka on September 3, 2020.
The ship was sailing 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point, Ampara when it caught fire with an explosion in a boiler in the ship’s main engine room.
The distressed oil tanker in eastern seas was manned by 23 crew members comprising five Greeks and 18 Philippine nationals.
Lakbima Rice Mills (Pvt) Ltd, based in Polonnaruwa, has contributed Rs. 100 million to the Government’s ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to provide relief to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwa.
The donation cheque was handed over this morning (13) at the Presidential Secretariat to Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, by Dudley Sirisena, Chairman of the Araliya Group of Companies.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued to the Districts of Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara
Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
at 12.30 p.m. 13 December 2025 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 13 December 2025 for Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Galle and Matara Districts.
There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
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