LIMA — Peru's government on Thursday (Dec 26) declared an environmental emergency in a northern coastal area, where state oil firm Petroperu last weekend spilled a crude oil shipment into surrounding waters of the Pacific Ocean.

A vessel carrying out pre-shipment manoeuvres caused the spill on Saturday at a terminal of Peru's Talara refinery in northern Peru.

Petroperu has not said how much crude was spilled into the sea, but Peru's environmental watchdog OEFA said in a preliminary report it has affected some 10,000 square meters of surface seawater, and the environment ministry said it has affected at least seven beaches, as well as local wildlife.

Peru's environment ministry said the 90-day emergency aims to "guarantee the sustainable management of the area and the execution of recovery and remediation works to mitigate environmental contamination."

Petroperu said on Wednesday it had deployed clean-up brigades from the moment of the spill and coordinated with the fishermen's union and local authorities so that local economic and tourist activities could continue normally.

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