“We are left without water and without food”: oil spill affects several indigenous communities in Loreto

The indigenous leader Galo Vásquez, president of the Federation of the United Cocama Peoples of the Marañón (FEDEPCUM), reported this Saturday that the oil spill that occurred in the Cuninico ravine, at kilometer 42 of Section I of the of the Norperuano Pipeline, and reached the Marañón River, in Loreto.

It was in dialogue with PTRthat the Fedecum spokesman said that several towns are affected by the displacement of crude oil, but they are six communities that do not have water to drink or to cook their food. For this reason, he requested urgent support from the authorities.

“Yesterday at 6:30 in the morning we realized the output of crude oil from the Cuninico ravine to the Marañón river, for which we made a commission of authorities to see where and what had happened. For this reason, we concentrated at kilometer 40 of the Norperuano Pipeline. It is there where we return to alert the population of the situation that is happening and the other communities”, he said.

Vásquez denounced that, until now, no State authority has approached the community of Cuninico to check the damage. However, he specified that only company personnel Petroperu went to the scene to try to contain the oil spill that continues to cause environmental damage.

“Until now the oil continues to come out, it has not yet been contained. Since yesterday, early in the morning, the people of Cuninico have no water or food. Imagine, 800 people in the community of Cuninico alone, are dying since yesterday without water, without bathing, without being able to eat, there is no food because you cannot cook, with what water can you cook?”, he added.

The native leader urged the authorities, especially the Public Ministry, to investigate this environmental damage caused by the oil spill.

“The barrier has been put in the river. It has not yet been contained where the fault has been, the barrier has been placed in the Marañón River, not even in the ravine. It doesn’t contain the same. doesn’t stop anything. Everything is coming out. Since yesterday all day, all night, today it even continues to come out. What will become of the population downstream? Immediately, we want attention with water and food, at least for the population of Cuninico. We ran out of water and food”, he stated.

Petroperú attends oil spill

Petroperu reported on Friday that an emergency response team, made up of its own personnel and contractors, traveled to the area for the first containment actions, according to the contingency plan, since the crude spread through the Cuninico River and arrived at marañon river.

Meanwhile, today, Saturday, September 17, Petroperú reported that, from the oil spill was the result of an intentional cut of 21 centimeters (cm) to the pipe, which was made at kilometer 42+092 of Section I of the Norperuano Pipeline (ONP) Urarinas district, Loreto province and region.