Russia declares emergency in Taimyr district after fuel spill

A state of emergency has been declared across the entire Taimyrsky Dolgano-Nenets Municipal District in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Krai following a diesel fuel spill, according to a decree signed by Alexei Medvedev, chairman of the regional government.

The emergency regime took effect on the evening of September 15. The decree cited “a diesel fuel spill into the Khatanga Bay water body” as the reason for the decision, according to Russian media.

The incident occurred near the settlement of Syndassko, where a container holding petroleum products was reportedly depressurised. The regional department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations received a report of the incident at about 11 a.m. on September 15.

The district administration said the spill had not reached the water source used by local residents.

“Petroleum products did not enter the body of water from which residents of the settlement obtain water,” the administration said.

District head Alexei Chlenov has been appointed to lead the emergency response task force responsible for dealing with the consequences of the incident.

By Tamilla Hasanova