Oil spill from power station spreads along Syria’s coast

An oil spill stretching off the coast near Baniyas, Syria (Planet Labs Inc via AP)

A massive oil spill caused by leakage from a power plant inside one of Syria’s oil refineries is spreading along the coast of the Mediterranean country, Syria’s state news agency said.

SANA said the spill reached the coastal town of Jableh, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the refinery in the town of Baniyas, adding that Syria’s environment department and the municipality of the coastal province of Latakia have placed all concerned departments on alert.