Russians in the southwestern area of Anapa took their customary Epiphany falls in waters contaminated by a significant oil spill, according to authorities, despite fears about the toxic waste.
Russians across the nation generally plunge themselves into snowy lakes, rivers, and streams to mark the occasion. Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany on the day of 18 January to mark the occasion.
Despite the fact that the whole place had been contaminated by an ongoing big oil spill, authorities in the southeastern area of Anapa said the festivities continued on the shore there.
Since two aging Russian ships were taken into a cyclone in the Kerch sea on December 15th, heavy fuel oil has been accumulating along Russia’s southern coast and on Crimea’s seized coast.
The local work force leading the clean-up procedure posted videos of believers wading into the ocean off Anapa in the ball black for the Epiphany dip on social media.
” The liquid is very evident, I also dived inside. Look, my scalp is damp, and you can see there is nothing there. The liquid is true, even the heat is comfortable”, an Anapa citizen, Vladimir Balukov, said in the film, published on Saturday night.
A priest presided over the service, and those who entered the water were accompanied by rescuers.
The ocean had been reportedly checked in advance, according to authorities.
However, the task force claimed hours afterwards that an over storm had “brought fresh fragments of fuel oil to the Anapa coastline.”
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, described the spill as one of the “most significant economic problems” Russia has faced in recent years. Difficulty of marine species and plenty of birds have perished.
Russia said earlier in January that some 2, 400 kilograms of the large fuel oil, known as mazut, had been spilt by the two ships, which were loaded with 9, 200 kilograms between them.
One of the shipwreck has since discovered a new hole, dumping still more fuel into the water.
Because it doesn’t float on the surface, the fuel is especially challenging to clean up.
Over the past month, thousands of volunteers have been scooping up oil reserves on shores, with more than 168, 000 kilograms of polluted soil and dust collected, Russia’s crisis situations department said Sunday.
Around 150 volunteers have sought medical treatment, including three who were hospitalised, the regional health ministry has said, without providing further details.
