From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed May 17 2000 - 10:03:26 EDT
EMERGENCY RULE IMPOSED OVER KAZAKH SECTOR OF CASPIAN SEA
AKTAU. May 17 (Interfax-Kazakhstan) - The continuing mass seal die-
off in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea has resulted in a state of
emergency being imposed in the Mangistau region, a regional official
told Interfax on Wednesday.
Under the emergency regime, the bodies of the animals are being
collected and incinerated, the official said.
The coast of Mangyshlak peninsula is littered with deal seals, an
Interfax correspondent reports. Six hundred dead seals have been
incinerated at the Bautinskaya promontory.
Scientists are not sure what is causing this die-off.
Pasteurellosis and plague are the most widespread explanations. Kazakh,
Russian and British researchers are trying to get at the causes of this
environmental disaster.
|
