The Puntland police have warned people not to approach closed barrels that have washed up on the shores of Mudug region, as they are suspected to contain toxic substances.
Officials suspect that this barrel was left in the water by people who dump hazardous waste into the sea.
This week, the barrel came to Ilfoxshe area near Jariiban district, which is about 900 km north-east of Mogadishu.
“The people of Ilfoxshe area and those living on the shores of Mudug region are specially warned to stay away from strange containers that may contain poison and explosives. Such a threat can affect people and the environment,” the police said in a statement.
It is not the first time that communities living on the coast have come across tanks floating in their waters.
Unknown companies from Europe have been accused of dumping toxic waste into Somalia’s waters.
There is no accurate assessment of the extent of this waste, but some estimates say that up to 35 million tons of waste have been illegally dumped into Somalia’s waters, including pharmaceuticals, nuclear waste and industrial waste.
