Morning Has Broken

This blogger commemorates the event 14 years ago and this is how it looks now!

THE BOCBOC RIVER

On 24 March 1996 (14 years ago), toxic mine tailings at the rate of 5-10 cubic metres per second were disgorged into the Makulapnit and Boac rivers. Discharge at the rate of 5-10 cubic metres is enough to fill up one dump-truck. It was estimated that the total amount of mine sludge spilled into the rivers was 1.5 million cubic metres.

The Tapian pit contains around 23 million metric tons of mine waste. Officials of the DENR claim that they did not know of the presence of the drainage tunnel measuring 2.6 kilometres long and 1 metre wide which is found underneath and which leads to the Makulapnit and Boac rivers.
The government estimates that this toxic waste killed P1.8 million worth of mature freshwater and marine life and P5 million bangus fry. The 27-kilometre Boac river, which is the main source of livelihood for those who are not part of the 1,000-strong workforce of Marcopper, has been declared dead by government officials.,