Feb 27, 2010, 9:48 GMT
Rome - An oil spill caused by sabotage at a refinery in northern central Italy threatened to reach the Adriatic Sea despite round-the-clock efforts to set up barriers to stop it, reports said Saturday.
Strong currents on the River Po swept some of the oil along before emergency workers could set up barriers to stop and absorb the oil, the daily Corriere della Sera reported.
It was now feared that some of the oil would reach Po delta and from there the Adriatic Sea on Sunday.
Two further barriers were being set up at Gaurda Venat and Serravalle.
Civil defence chief Guido Bertolaso praised the work of the fire department and civil defence workers so far and said 'I am convinced that not a drop of oil will reach the sea.'
The huge oil spill was caused by a suspected act of sabotage at a refinery near Monza with several million litres of oil and diesel spilling into the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po.
The Lambro was badly contaminated by the spill, with reports of a slick reaching up to two kilometres long. Hundreds of ducks and other birds were killed, with local fishermen describing a stinking mess and raising doubts that the slick was being contained.
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