Oil spill sees around 3,500 litres of black liquid pollute River Usk
AROUND 3,500 litres of oil has leaked into and polluted the River Usk.
Around 3,500 litres of oil have spilled into the River Usk
Dead fish have been seen in the affected 850m stretch of the river in Crickhowell and the oil has spread to surrounding areas and nearby gardens.
The incident in Powys, Wales today has left an oily sheen on the water and caused a strong odour to emanate from the waters.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said the source of the pollution came from the Cwm Beth tributary and worked its way downstream.
Rhys Hughes, from NRW, said: "We are doing all we can to stop the pollution and to reduce its impact on fish and other wildlife which depend on it, as well as the local community who are being affected.
Dead fish have been seen in the affected 850m stretch of the river
We are doing all we can to stop the pollution
"Our officers have already spotted a few dead fish in the river, but we’re expecting to see more as the pollution moves through the system.
"Our team have put booms in place in the Cwm Beth to soak up as much of the pollution as possible.
"Our fisheries specialists are also currently conducting a full assessment of the river to help us determine the impact on the wildlife in the river."
Dead fish were also seen in the affected stretch of the River Usk