Fuel oil from the grounded freighter Solomon Trader has spread for hundreds of meters along a coral reef on the coast of Rennell Island, the southernmost island in the Solomons and the largest raised coral atoll in the world.

It is three weeks since the vessel was driven onto a reef on February 5 by a storm. Aerial photos indicate no spill containment boom in place around the stricken vessel.

An estimated 75 tonnes of oil have escaped from the Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier, out of 600 tonnes on board. The oil poses a major threat to the World Heritage-listed marine sanctuary, which is home to many species found nowhere else.

Questions have been raised as to why the Kangava Bay mine site kept loading cargoes when a cyclone warning was in effect, given the hazards posed by the reef and the severity of the storm in the South Pacific.

Australia sends help

Pollution mitigation experts and equipment are being sent from Australia, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Sunday. "Australia remains extremely concerned by the ongoing risk of a major oil spill," she said. "Up to 75 tonnes of heavy fuel oil from the ship has dispersed across the Island's sea and shoreline, contaminating the ecologically delicate area."

"Given escalating ecological damage, and a lack of action by commercial entities involved, the Solomon Islands Government has requested Australia's assistance," Payne said.

A team from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) was deployed last week and used aerial surveillance to monitor the spill and its threat to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

New Zealand dispatched two oil-spill containment specialists on Friday.

Hauling bauxite to China

The Indonesian firm Bintan Mining SI had chartered the ship to take bauxite from its mine on the western half of Rennell Island to China.

Australian mining company Pacific Bauxite was obliged to deny accusations in 2017 that landowners had not been properly informed about the environmental impacts of mining on the island.

The eastern half of Rennell Island was the first natural property to be inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1998. It is home to 1,200 Polynesians who live by subsistence farming, hunting and fishing. With unique limestone formations, a large lake and dense forest, UNESCO described it as "a true natural laboratory for scientific study."

East Rennell was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2013 for threats posed by commercial logging of its forests and the introduction of invasive rats.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Life on the water At high tide, Lau Lagoon's manmade islands barely rise above the waterline. During king tides and strong winds, which are becoming increasingly frequent, some islands are now completely submerged.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels People of the sea According to oral history, and "wane i asi," or people of the sea, have been living on manmade islands in Lau Lagoon for 18 generations. They are said to have come here to be closer to the sea that provides them with a bountiful supply of fish, and respite from mainland's mosquitoes.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels The only way is up As the sea level rises, more and more of the lagoon's residents are building their homes on stilits for a few extra feet of grace.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Water babes Children are raised to feel at home with the ocean lapping at their feet. The only school is on the mainland, so they're used to making daily the journey back and forth across the lagoon.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Born sailors Navigating between the islands and the mainland in tiny dugout canoes with plastic sails is a skill gained early in life and quickly becomes second nature.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Stormy weather Living on the lagoon means being completely exposed to tropical storms. And this one came during what was traditionally the dry season. Lau Lagoon islanders are being forced to contend with increasingly unpredictable weather.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Times of change John Kaia, 52, is chief of the Aenabaolo tribe on the island of Tauba1. He says that over his lifetime he has seen dramatic changes to the climate - and his people's way of life.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Swept away Homes lie ruined in the wake of a large wave event. Here, the community decided to not rebuild - the destruction now comes too frequently and on too great a scale to make it worth while.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Fight against time Living with rising sea levels is an uphill struggle. Essential structures such as this outhouse, only accessible by bridge, require constant maintenance.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Abandoned to the waves The struggle to maintain this outhouse has long since been abandoned. What was once a part of a family home is now an occasional perch for seabirds.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels New neighbors Many of Lau Lagoon's people of the sea are tying to relocate to the mainland of Malaita. But they are not always welcome. Land disputes mean construction is halted by court order - as with this church.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Fresh start While some wane e asi struggle for space on the mainland, others are unable to find land there at all, and are building new islands in the lagoon, like this one - still very much a work in progress.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Keeping the faith Religion plays a central role in daily life in Solomon Islands. Prayer and devotional rituals provide solace in trying times. Many have also relied on the church to help them relocate, as state programs fail to get off the ground.

Solomon Islanders face rising sea levels Saying goodbye As Lau Lagoon's islands are abadoned, a way of life that has existed in harmony with nature for generations may be lost forever because of the damage industrialized nations have inflicted on our shared planet. Author: Beni Knight



kw/jm (AFP, Reuters)

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