Mangroves threatened by oil spill in the Philippines.

Conservationists have raised concerns about the fate of Mangrove forests and several hundred people have been evacuated from homes in coastal areas following an oil spill close to the island of Guimaras, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on Friday 3 July 2020. The incident was caused by an explosion on an electricity generating barge on the Iloilo Straight, which separates  Guimaras from the city of  Iloilo on Panay Island. The barge's owners, AC Energy, initially estimated the oil spilt at about 48 000 litres, but this estimate was subsequently raised to 251 000 by the  Philippine Coast Guard, of which about 130 000 was subsequently recovered. 

Oil leaking from an electricity generating barge into the Iloilo Straight following an explosion on board on Friday 3 June 2020. EPA.

Oil spills are potentially harmful to marine life in a variety of ways. Most obviously it can coat the outside of organisms, causing damage to external structures such as the feathers of Birds and fur of Mammals, as well as smothering many marine invertebrates and plants. It also contains a variety of chemicals which can be directly toxic upset the hormonal balance of many animals. Oil also impedes the feeding of marine organisms, coating both food and feeding organs, but provides an excellent food source for Bacteria, which can lead to Eutrophication events - dramatic increases in Bacteria numbers, which then use all the oxygen in the water, leading other organisms to asphyxiate.

The location of the Iloilo Straight, between the islands of Guimaras and Panay, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Google Maps.

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Electrical cable leaks dielectric fluid into Lake Michigan.

Around 2250 litres of dielectric fluid has leaked from a power line beneath the western end of the Straits of Mackinac, on Sunday 1-Monday 2 April 2018. The pipeline, which is operated by the American Transmission Co. and connects Point La Barbe to the north to the McGulpin Riser Station on the south side of the Straits, is thought to have been struck by a marine vessel passing through the channel. The leak was detected due to a drop in pressure in the line, which prompted the operators to shut the cable off and reduce the fluid pressure in it, but the poor weather in the region hampered efforts to locate the actual leak.

Scientists from the US Coast Guard, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the American Transmission Co., during the search for a leak from a damaged power cable beneath the Straits of Mackinac, earlier this week. US Coast Guard.

Dielectric fluids are used to insulate power cables by quenching electrical discharges. A variety of liquids can be used for this purpose, though in this case the substance is understood to be DF 45, a mixture of benzene and alkyl derivatives, considered to be toxic and harmful to the environment, though as the main danger is considered to be presented come from inhaling concentrated fumes, it is likely that the substance will disperse without causing serious problems in this instance.

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