A new wave of petroleum product slicks has reached the area of the bridge near Unguri, in the Ocnita District, prompting authorities to urgently assess the situation.
Gheorghe Hajder announced that field teams identified the new pollution wave as it arrived in the area. “Following the information provided by colleagues in the field, we established that a new wave of petroleum product slicks is currently arriving and has been identified near the bridge in Unguri,” he stated.
Authorities will hold an emergency meeting within minutes on the platform of the National Crisis Management Center, with all responsible institutions participating.
Officials report that 22 absorbent filters are currently operating, while teams have reinforced protection at water intake stations.
Authorities previously declared a state of environmental alert on March 15 for 15 days in the basin of the Dniester River after detecting a pollution wave with petroleum products that affected several sections of the river.
Specialists first observed the petroleum substance on the water surface on March 10 and immediately began interventions, collecting samples to determine its nature and risks. The incident left several consumers in Balti, Soroca, Singerei District, and Floresti District without water for several days.
Authorities restored the water supply on March 19 after improvements in water quality followed the critical period caused by petroleum pollution.
On March 23, Minister Hajder announced the appearance of new oil slicks on the Dniester in northern Moldova, near Unguri. He noted that although the Ukrainian side confirmed that it had stopped the pollution source, oil residues continue to move downstream.