Date: Wed, 23 Aug 95 11:51:27 EDT

From: Emergency Information Administrator 

Subject: Guyana: Chemical Spill  DHA-02







                 SITUATION REPORT NO. 2 - GUYANA

                    CYANIDE MINE WASTE SPILL

                         (23 AUGUST 1995)





1. THE PRESIDENT OF GUYANA, HIS EXCELLENCY CHEDDI JAGAN, HAS

DECLARED THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE RECENT GOLD MINE WASTE SPILL AN

ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER ZONE AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS REQUESTED

INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.



2. THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA ESTIMATES THAT UP TO 1.25 MILLION

CUBIC METRES OF MINING WASTE WITH A CYANIDE CONCENTRATION OF

28PPM HAS ENTERED THE OMAI AND ESSEQUIBO RIVERS. THEY ESTIMATE

THAT A FURTHER 0.75 MILLION CUBIC METRES COULD BE RELEASED.



3. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS ADVISED ALL RESIDENTS ALONG THE

ESSIQUIBO RIVER, THE MAJOR RIVER IN THE COUNTRY, NOT TO USE WATER

FROM THE RIVER TO DRINK, COOK OR GIVE TO LIVESTOCK NOR TO EAT

FISH.



4. IN A NATIONAL ADDRESS, THE PRESIDENT OF GUYANA OUTLINED STEPS

BEING TAKEN AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL INCLUDING: THE DISPATCH OF AN

INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT TEAM AND A HEALTH MINISTRY TEAM TO THE

SITE OF THE SPILL, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL MONITORING

TEAM IN BARTICA, THE MONITORING OF WATER AND AQUATIC LIFE IN THE

AREA BETWEEN THE OMAI MINE AND BARTICA, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

AN INTER-AGENCY DISASTER CONTROL COMMITTEE HEADED BY THE PRIME

MINISTER SAM HINDS AND INCLUDING THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, THE

MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, FINANCE, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER

RELEVANT ORGANIZATIONS.



5. THE UNDP OFFICE REPORTS THAT A JOINT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN

ESTABLISHED COMPRISING THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA, LOCAL

ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES AND THE OMAI GOLD MINES LIMITED (OGML)

WHO OPERATE THE MINE.



6. OGML REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE ASSEMBLED A TEAM OF INTERNATIONAL

EXPERTS AT OMAI UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

OFFICER OF THE CANADIAN PARENT COMPANY OF OGML.  THE COMPANY

REPORTS THAT MONITORING DOWNSTREAM OF THE SPILL IN THE ESSEQUIBO

RIVER HAS SUGGESTED A REDUCTION IN CYANIDE LEVELS BECAUSE OF THE

DILUTION FROM THE RIVER.  THEY NOTE THAT, AS OF 15.20UTC AUGUST

21, REPORTS FROM SHERIMA, SEVENTY FIVE KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM,

SHOW CYANIDE LEVELS OF 0.009 PPM.  THEY FURTHER REPORT THAT AS OF

17.45UTC 21 AUGUST, TOTAL CYANIDE LEVELS WERE MEASURED AT 0.09PPM

FROM THE CONFLUENCE OF THE OMANI AND ESSEQUIBO RIVERS DOWNSTREAM

FOR EIGHT KILOMETRES.  WATER SAMPLES TAKEN ARE BEING SENT

OVERSEAS FOR INDEPENDENT TESTING.



7. OGML REPORT THAT THEY STARTED A FOUR STAGE ACTION PLAN AS OF

23.00UTC AUGUST 21 TO ATTEMPT TO STOP THE FLOW WITHIN 48HOURS.

THE MEASURES INCLUDE INSTALLING PUMPS TO MOVE EFFLUENT FROM THE

DAMAGED TAILINGS POND TO A SECURE MINING PIT, BUILDING A COFFER

DAM TO ARREST THE LEAKAGE FROM THE TAILINGS DAM AND STOP THE

FLOW INTO THE RIVER SYSTEM, FILLING 'SINK HOLES' IN THE DAMAGED

DAM AND INCREASING THE SIZE AND DEPTH OF THE DITCH BEING USED TO

DIVERT WASTE FROM THE TAILINGS POND TO THE MINING PIT.



8. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT IS IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHING TWO

EXPERTS TO THE SITE: ONE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON HEALTH

IMPLICATIONS OF THE SPILL AND ONE TO ASSIST IN THE EVALUATION OF

DRINKING WATER QUALITY. TESTING EQUIPMENT IS ALSO BEING

PROVIDED. IN A SECOND PHASE, CANADIAN EXPERTS WILL ADVISE THE

GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA ON MEASURES TO IMPROVE SAFETY OF FUTURE

MINING OPERATIONS.



9. THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO) REPORTS THAT THEY

ARE IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHING AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER TO ASSIST

IN THE RESPONSE.



10.  THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME/DEPARTMENT OF

HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (UNEP/DHA) ENVIRONMENT UNIT ARE IN CLOSE

LIAISON WITH THE UNDP OFFICE IN GUYANA AND POTENTIAL DONOR

COUNTRIES TO ENSURE COORDINATED INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.





             = DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS +





TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34

EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY): +41-22-917.20.10



DESK OFFICER: MR. GERARD LE CLAIRE DIRECT TEL: +41-22-917.11.73

PRESS TO CONTACT:  MRS.  MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL:  +41-22-

917.28.56



TELEX: 414242 DHA CH

FAX: +41-22-917.00.23

ELECTRONIC MAIL: DHAGVA AT UN.ORG



DPR 310 GUY







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