Yucky oil on beaches in Quang Nam

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
February 3, 2007 Saturday 11:32 AM EST
DATELINE: Hanoi


DPA CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT Vietnam Nature Environment Vietnamese work to clean beaches of mysterious oil spill Hanoi Hundreds of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians worked Saturday to clean up the central coastlines from a mysterious oil slick.

So far, 30 tons of oil clumps have been gathered from beaches inQuang Nam province, home of the popular tourism town of Hoi An,according to Truong Van Bay, vice chairman of Hoi An People'sCommittee.

"We are able to clean the oil off the beaches but can't doanything about the oil slick at sea," Bay said Saturday. "So far, thecause is unknown to us."

Fishermen have reported seeing large oil slick at sea, butVietnamese authorities so far have not found the source, according toDuong Chi Cong, director of the province's environmental department.

He said it was too early to tell if lasting environmental damagehad been done, but called for help from the central government forthe cleanup.

Quang Nam province is famed for its long stretches of white sand.Its beaches, particularly Cua Dai beach, are home to several luxuryresorts, attracting visitors from all over the world.

However, Cong said some tourists had left the area since the oilstarted washing ashore on Tuesday.

"They are here at the beach for swimming and sunbathing, but theoil spill destroys their enjoyment," he said. Feb 0307 1132 GMT