Vietnam labours to clean up oil slick

Hundreds of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians worked Saturday to clean up the central coastlines from a mysterious oil slick.

So far, 30 tons of oil clumps have been gathered from beaches in Quang Nam province, home of the popular tourism town of Hoi An, according to Truong Van Bay, vice chairman of Hoi An People's Committee.

"We are able to clean the oil off the beaches but can't do anything about the oil slick at sea," Bay said Saturday. "So far, the cause is unknown to us."

Fishermen have reported seeing large oil slick at sea, but Vietnamese authorities so far have not found the source, according to Duong Chi Cong, director of the province's environmental department. He said it was too early to tell if lasting environmental damage had been done, but called for help from the central government for the cleanup.

Quang Nam province is famed for its long stretches of white sand. Its beaches, particularly Cua Dai beach, are home to several luxury resorts, attracting visitors from all over the world. However, Cong said some tourists had left the area since the oil started washing ashore on Tuesday.

"They are here at the beach for swimming and sunbathing, but the oil spill destroys their enjoyment," he said.
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dpa