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30 Aug 1995

Guyana
Guyana - Cyanide Mine Waste Spill Information Report No.4

Report
— UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs
Ref: DHA-GENEVA 95/0393
1. THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO) HAS REPORTED ON A RECENT MISSION TO THE SITE OF THE RECENT GOLD MINE WASTE SPILL.

2. THE REPORT NOTES THAT AQUATIC LIFE IN THE OMAI CREEK AND AT THE CONFLUENCE WITH THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN THE SPILL.

3. THE REPORT ALSO NOTES THAT THE SPILL DID INITIALLY POSE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISK TO SMALL POPULATIONS OF APPROXIMATELY 100-200 PEOPLE ALONG THE FIRST FORTY KILOMETRES OF THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER. THE MISSION FOUND THAT WHERE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF DRINKING

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25 Aug 1995

Guyana
Guyana - Cyanide Mine Waste Spill Information Report No.3

Report
— UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs
DHA-GENEVA 95/0389
1. THE COMPANY WHICH OWNS THE MINE SUBJECT TO THE RECENT CYANIDE WASTE SPILL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE SPILL WAS STOPPED AT 05.00UTC ON AUGUST 24. THE COMPANY ESTIMATES THAT A TOTAL OF 3.2 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF TAILINGS WATER WAS RELEASED FROM THE TAILINGS RESERVOIR OVER THE SPILL PERIOD OF 100 HOURS.

2. AT A COORDINATION MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HELD IN GEORGETOWN BY THE DHA/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR MR NAVIN CHANDARPAL REPORTED THAT THE CONTAMINATION HAD PASSED THE TOWN OF BARTICA TOWARDS THE SEA. FRESH WATER CONTINUES TO

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23 Aug 1995

Guyana
Guyana - Cyanide Mine Waste Spill Information Report No.2

Report
— UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs
DHA-GENEVA 95/0386
1. THE PRESIDENT OF GUYANA, HIS EXCELLENCY CHEDDI JAGAN, HAS DECLARED THE AREA AFFECTED BY THE RECENT GOLD MINE WASTE SPILL AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER ZONE AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS REQUESTED INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

2. THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA ESTIMATES THAT UP TO 1.25 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF MINING WASTE WITH A CYANIDE CONCENTRATION OF 28PPM HAS ENTERED THE OMAI AND ESSEQUIBO RIVERS. THEY ESTIMATE THAT A FURTHER 0.75 MILLION CUBIC METRES COULD BE RELEASED.

3. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS ADVISED ALL RESIDENTS ALONG THE ESSIQUIBO RIVER, THE MAJOR RIVER IN THE COUNTRY,

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01 Aug 1995

Guyana
Guyana - Cyanide Mine Waste Spill Information Report No.1

Report
— UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs
DHA-GENEVA 95/0351
1. A TAILINGS DAM AT THE OMAI GOLD MINE BREACHED ON SATURDAY NIGHT, RELEASING UP TO 100,000 CUBIC METRES PER HOUR OF WASTE CONTAINING CYANIDE. THE TOXIC WASTE ENTERED THE OMAI RIVER BEFORE FLOWING INTO THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER, THE MAJOR RIVER IN THE COUNTRY WHICH IS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR DRINKING WATER AND FISHING. THE PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION (PAHO) REPORTS THAT CYANIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE OMAI RIVER WAS 5.42 PPM AND RISING AS OF 21 AUGUST. THE UNDP OFFICE REPORTS THAT AQUATIC LIFE IN THE OMAI RIVER AND PARTS OF THE ESSE QUIBO RIVER HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY IMPACTED.

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