Mudflow causes oil spill into river in Surkhandarya region
Heavy rainfall and flash floods in Uzbekistan's Surkhandarya region caused crude oil to leak into local waterways after breaching temporary containment dams in the Boysun district. The oil originated from storage ponds managed by the company Eriell, which were overwhelmed when the Khangaronsoy stream overflowed and carried the mixture into the Surkhandarya River. Emergency crews successfully repaired the damaged structures and halted the leak the same day, while regional water management authorities have since intensified monitoring in flood-prone areas. Officials emphasize that while the immediate spill has been contained, enhanced safety measures are necessary to prevent similar environmental incidents during future extreme weather events.
A natural disaster in Surxondaryo region has sparked serious environmental concerns. Official reports indicate that flash floods caused by heavy rainfall washed petroleum products into a riverbed.
Shuhrat Suyunov, spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources, reported that the incident occurred in the Khangaransay stream, which flows through the Kofrun neighborhood of the Boysun district. Special temporary storage ponds had been constructed in this area to collect crude oil emerging on the surface during drilling operations.
It was revealed that these ponds were established between January and February of this year by the Eriell company. They were built using earthen dams with the primary objective of preventing oil products from leaking into the stream. The oil collected in these ponds was subsequently transported out using specialized equipment.
However, heavy rainfall in the Boysun district on April 23 fundamentally changed the situation. The water level in Khangaransay rose sharply, and the flash flood overflowed the temporary dams. As a result, water mixed with oil flowed first into Bandikhansay and then through the Kumkurgan district into the Surxondaryo River.
Experts immediately took control of the situation. It was noted that on the same day, Eriell repaired the damaged dams and completely eliminated the leakage of oil into the water.
It was reported that the Amu-Surkhon Irrigation Systems Basin Management and all local water management organizations have now strengthened monitoring measures in areas with a high risk of flooding.
While experts emphasize that these incidents were caused by natural factors, they state that additional safety measures must be implemented to prevent such situations in the future.
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