A chemical leak at the Red Diamond explosives plant in Vinton County, Ohio, on the morning of June 11, 2025, released a large nitrogen oxide gas cloud into the air. The incident led to temporary evacuations, a flight restriction, and a public health advisory, though no injuries or contamination have been reported so far.
A jet fuel leak from Sunoco Pipeline’s Twin Oaks Pipeline in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, confirmed on January 31, 2025, has contaminated at least 38 private wells, prompting lawsuits and investigations. The leak, undetected for months, was first reported by residents in 2023.
Over 160 000 residents were placed under confinement after a fire broke out at a chemical factory in Vilanova i la Geltrú, northeastern Spain, releasing a large plume of toxic chlorine gas on Saturday morning, May 10, 2025.
A toxic algal bloom impacting marine animals has been observed along the Southern California coast in late April 2025, according to experts. The event, producing the neurotoxin domoic acid, has resulted in the most severe dolphin stranding associated with a toxic algal bloom ever recorded in the region.
At least 22 people have died across Ecuador as of Monday, March 31, 2025, due to ongoing floods, and multiple landslides that have damaged tens of thousands of homes across the country, affecting nearly 145 000 people. Meanwhile, the oil spill in Esmeraldas continues to affect the province, with an ongoing water crisis worsening the conditions amidst floods.
​Ecuador’s state oil company, Petroecuador, declared force majeure on its Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System (SOTE) on March 18, 2025, following a catastrophic oil spill that began on March 13. The spill, caused by a landslide that ruptured the pipeline, has contaminated the Esmeraldas River, affecting over 500 000 residents who are now experiencing a severe water crisis. The landslide was triggered by heavy rains and severe weather conditions across the country that have claimed 20 lives as of March 19.
A catastrophic tailings dam failure occurred at the Jagersfontein diamond mine in South Africa early Sunday morning, September 11, 2022, causing loss of life and severe environmental damage.
A pipeline running through Ecuador's Amazon rainforest ruptured on Friday, January 28, 2022, spraying crude oil into the rainforest. The event took place on the banks of the Coca River, threatening the livelihoods of 27 000 Indigenous Kichwa people still…
Tsunami waves caused by the massive eruption at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga on January 15, 2022, hit a tanker that was unloading crude oil at a refinery in Lima, Peru, causing an ecological disaster. The incident took place in the district of…
A massive oil slick originating from a pipeline leak hit the beaches of Orange County, California over the weekend, raising grave wildlife and environmental concerns. Residents of Newport Beach started reporting the smell of gas Friday afternoon (LT), October 1,…
