Oil spill from tanker reaches UAE's Umm Al Quwain beaches, closures announced

The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment announced Friday that marine pollution from a tanker oil spill has reached Umm Al Quwain's beaches.

• The ministry's environmental monitoring system detected the spill from one of the tankers, with effects reaching the emirate's beaches.
• The ministry announced the temporary closure of all beaches and coastal areas in Umm Al Quwain pending cleanup and assessment.
• Cleanup and treatment operations have begun, and the ministry urged fishermen to refrain from fishing in the affected sites.
• The ministry said the spill produced odors noticed by residents of Sharjah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain, but posed no health risks.
• Satellite data shows surface oil levels in the Persian Gulf have doubled compared with the same period last year, experts warned.
• Experts warned the spill's long-term impacts threaten wildlife, desalination plants, and the region's water supply.