Simulating the spatial and temporal distribution of oil spill over the coral reef environs along the southeast coast of Mauritius: A case study on MV Wakashio vessel wreckage, August 2020
Abstract
An oil spill occurred off Mauritius on 6 August 2020, as merchant vessel (MV) Wakashio, with 3896 tons of heavy fuel oil (HFO) on board, struck the coral reef, causing a significant threat to the coral environment. Approximately 1000 tons of HFO leaked from the vessel. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) set-up an oil-spill trajectory model for the Mauritius domain and generated oil drift patterns during the spill period for 1000 tons of HFO. The simulation showed that Mauritius's south-east coast was under threat to receive HFO from the stranded vessel. The simulated oil drift pattern was in good agreement with the oil slick signatures obtained from Sentinel-1A data. The affected zone of coral reef environs during the spill period was also estimated using Sentinel-2 datasets. Our analysis showed that on 8 August the oil spread over 14.58 and 5.52 km2 of reef flat and algae/seagrass over the reef, respectively. From 15 August onwards, the oil spread gradually decreased and concentrated along the northern coast of Mauritius over mudflat/mud over reef/turbid water zone. On 8 August, the coastal districts of Grand Port and Flacq were highly affected due to oil spillage. The seaward coral reef zones were least affected by oil spill, compared to the coral reefs adjacent to the coast.
- Publication:
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Journal of Earth System Science
- Pub Date:
- March 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1007/s12040-021-01791-z
- Bibcode:
- 2022JESS..131...42P
- Keywords:
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- Mauritius;
- oil spill;
- coral reefs;
- Sentinel;
- Wakashio