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A huge oil spill has spread off the coast of Oriental Mindoro province south of the capital Manila after an oil tanker sank off the Philippines. More than 100,000 people have already been affected by the environmental catastrophe, either because they have lost their livelihoods or are struggling with health consequences, provincial governor Humerlito Dolor said Monday.

The MT Princess Empress sank two weeks ago with 800,000 liters of industrial oil on board. Oil has been leaking from the ship ever since. The full extent of the environmental catastrophe is slowly becoming clear. “It’s a Nightmare”said Gloria Ramos, vice president of the marine conservation organization Oceana Philippines, the German news agency.

The oil spill kills everything, not just the marine ecosystems, but also the livelihoods of local residents. “There are also health effects for humans”she added. Many tried to scrape off the oil with their bare hands. “But this is very dangerous because it can cause kidney and liver disease. The oil is so toxic,” Ramos emphasizes.

The tanker was still leaking, Dolor explained. The owner is working to plug the leak. “The damage in the province is quite extensive. The hardest hit are fishermen and their families, as well as sellers of fish and fishing gear.” Many fish have already died and seaweed, corals and mangroves have also been damaged.

The current also pushed the oil north, it said. There it now threatens the Isla Verde Road, one of the most species-rich marine habitats of all. The strait is located between the islands of Luzon and Mindoro. (sda/dpa)