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Leading scientific centers to join inquiry into Kamchatka pollution — lawmaker

Earlier, Russian hydrometeorology service specialists detected excessive amounts of phenol and oil products in sea waters near the Khalaktyrsky Beach

© Ulyana Bakumenko/TASS

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, October 4. /TASS/. Russia’s leading scientific centers will join the effort to assess the scope of water pollution in the Avacha Gulf near Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Sunday.

"Today, we need to deliver large amount of samples [to scientists]. I’m speaking about two 25-liter containers, about sand, algae and sea creatures from the seabed," said Irina Yarovaya, a deputy chair of Russia’s lower parliamentary house who visited the affected areas on Sunday.

"I agreed that I’m arriving to Moscow today, and leading Russian scientific centers in toxicology, chemistry and biology will carry out a research," she said during a working meeting at the Khalaktyrsky beach, with the participation of Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov and senior officials from regional watchdogs.

Earlier, Russian hydrometeorology service specialists detected excessive amounts of phenol and oil products in sea waters near the Khalaktyrsky Beach, where, according to local residents, hordes of sea creatures had been washed ashore.

Some time later, increased levels of petroleum products were registered at three more locations in the Avacha Gulf. Mass death of sea animals was also reported in Malaya Lagernaya Bay, Bolshaya Lagernaya Bay and Babya Bay.

Russian Minister of Environmental Protection Dmitry Kobylkin said environmental situation in the area is being analyzed. Experts took samples of water, sand and air from the affected zones.

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