an oil-spill off Mikuni on the north-western coast of Japan, is threatening wildlife and nuclear reactors. The spill was caused by the Russian oil tanker Nakhodka when it split in two and sank in the Sea of Japan on January 6. It was carrying 15,300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil.
The oil spill has hit the shore along a 100 km stretch, from Kyoto prefecture to Fukui prefecture, where 15 nuclear reactors are located. The oil might enter the cooling systems of these plants which rely on sea water to cool the steam from power-generating turbines.
There are many fish farms, fishing ports and tourist resorts along this coast. Fisherfolk and officials in Mikuni have predicted that the spill would wipe out this year's harvests of abalone and turbine shell -- both shellfish delicacies -- and seaweed, an edible item in Japan. Rough weather and stormy seas have hampered clean-up operations and prevented efforts to put up an oil fence to stop the slick from spreading.
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