This is the sad reality observed this weekend at the beach of Lomé, capital of Togo, blessed in the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The waves that wash up on the shore of the blue ocean now turn black.
The sea that borders this country which has just celebrated the famous day of environmental protection (June 1st), has unfortunately become a mixture of salt water and oil.
The images say a lot, but all you have to do is go to the coast to see the facts and see for yourself. This Sunday, it is a distressing scene that the users of the beach of Lomé attended.
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One can believe that the sea was in the process of carrying out a digestive evacuation operation, a gastric lavage or stomach pumping. It looks as if it was trying to spit out a poison that it was forced to swallow. Difficult to get rid of especially since they are not solid pollution. The pretty blue Atlantic Ocean can only continue to shed black tears for an unknown duration.
The fresh smell of the sea, which welcomes tourists from all over the world, has given way to a strong smell of oil.
Surprisingly, in this horrible scene, we can see can some users still try to swim. They continue to jump in these black waves without realising it is dangerous.
“It is too hot! We don’t have choice but to jump in and enjoy a better temperature. Today is Sunday, my only day off ”, said Loumon, on of them.
Apart from the impacts that this pollution will have on the marine ecosystem, it is a real danger for the environment.
It is also the life of the fish and that of the consumers that are at stake. It is urgent that the Togolese authorities take the situation seriously.