Large oil spill into Siberian river branded ecological catastrophe

The Emergencies Ministry has called a large oil spill in Eastern Siberia an ecological catastrophe.

­Over 300 tonnes of oil poured into one of the region's largest rivers, the Angara, leaving residential areas with some 80,000 people without clean tap water.

Officials say it will take about a year to fully compensate for the damage. The spilt diesel oil is mixing easily with the water, which complicates the process of cleaning up. More than 4,500 kilograms of absorbent has already been pumped into the Angara River during the week.

The oil spill is now moving downriver and is expected to affect the lives of even more people. Local authorities have advised people to check the quality of water.

Two cases have already been opened into the incident, concerning water pollution and the theft of oil products. The police are now considering a third criminal case to look into the question of negligence. There are currently nine suspects and police say the list is likely to grow further.