Brazil On Alert Following Ecuadorian Oil Spill

On May 31 an oil spill from a damaged pipeline in Ecuador leaked 420,000 gallons of crude oil into the Coca River. The oil flowed through the river causing damage in Ecuador and Peru and now Brazil is on alert as the oil comes closer, BBC reports.

The pipeline, owned by Ecuador's state oil company was damaged following a landslide. According to the BBC as the oil flowed down the Coca River it polluted the drinking water of 80,000 residents living in an urban Ecuadorean area between the Coca and Napo rivers.

By June 4, the oil spill had reached the Peruvian rainforest in Loreto. Those living near the rainforest rely heavily on the natural resources it has to offer in order to survive. Manuel Pulgar Vidal, the Peruvian Environmental Minister said the problem is serious and Peru could seek reparations in the aftermath of the spill.

"If there is a serious level of affected areas, international law always gives you the possibility to establish a compensation issue," Vidal said in an interview with Canal N television in Peru.

The Brazilian foreign ministry has issued a statement saying the Brazilian navy has been dispatched to Ecuador and Peru in an effort to offer aid.

"Ibama, the Brazilian institute of environment, Brazil's navy and the National Petroleum Agency are on alert in the event that the oils slick reaches the country," BBC reports the foreign Ministry as saying.

According to the BBC Ecuador's state oil company has hired a US firm to come in and help with the oil spill clean up.