Indigenous People in Ecuador sue Government over Oil Spills

The indigenous people in Ecuador have sued their government and oil firms for the April oil spills into important rivers.

About the Incident

2 oil pipelines had broken and leaked 15,000 barrel of crude oil into 2 of Ecuador’s most important rivers in early April. This is one the largest oil spills in the country in decades. The indigenous people have come together to sue the government and the responsible oil firms over the spill.

River Coca

River Coca- one of the rivers that suffers from the April oil spill- is a major river in eastern Ecuador. It is a tributary of the Napo River. For many years, hydrologists and geologists had been warning the government about the severe erosion along the river posing a risk to the pipelines, but to no avail.

San Rafael Waterfall

The San Rafael Waterfall is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Ecuador and is located on the Coca River. The 150m high San Rafael Waterfall has collapsed in recent times. A recent investigation concluded that a Chinese government funded dam project upstream has depleted the current and has caused erosions.