Oil spill threatens Batam

BATAM, Riau: Coastal areas of Batam are in danger of being contaminated by oil spilled from a Singaporean tanker that collided with a container ship last Thursday in Singaporean waters.

The oil spill had reached the islands of Rempang and Galang, dozens of miles from Singapore, by Monday. Some 350 tons of oil have reportedly contaminated Singaporean waters.

Hundreds of tourists at Melur beach have complained of skin rashes after swimming in the ocean.

"We had to take several baths to get all of the oil off of us," one of the tourists, Santo, said.

So far, neither the Singaporean government nor the Indonesian authorities have taken measures to prevent the oil spill from spreading further. --Antara