Oil spill turns Mumbai’s Juhu beach black

Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deployed extra cleaners to clear up black-coloured sand on Juhu Beach following an oil spill incident. Around six metric tonnes of waste have been cleaned from Juhu Beach so far, the media reported on Friday. 

The water near the shore has had a black-ish appearance for some days and nearly a five-kilometre stretch of the beach now has black sand splattered around.

Earlier this week, Bollywood actress Richa Chadha re-tweeted a picture of a distressed snake caught in the sand on Juhu Beach. Sharing the image, the Bollywood actress also mentioned “thick, black stuff” that sticks to one’s shoes. 

More visuals purportedly depicting the partially blackened beach have surfaced online, showing how the oil spill has affected Juhu, including how blue bottle jellyfish have been washed ashore.

​​While the exact cause of the oil spill in the Arabian Sea remains unclear, officials speculate that one or more fishing ships sailing through the waters could be the source of this leak. An investigation is currently underway.