Pacific Ocean Turning Into a ‘Ticking Timebomb’ as Scientists Make a Scary Discovery On Its Floor

Clueless about the substance, the locals revealed that only after the smell reached them, did they realize what it was.

PUBLISHED 5 HOURS AGO

A fishing boat casting out a massive net into the Pacific Ocean. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pixabay | HieuNghiaMini)

World War II, the most devastating conflict in human history, took place about 80 years ago. Sadly, the aftermath is felt even today. There were several warzones across the world, with almost all nations divided into two superpowers– the Allies and the Axis. While the political impact may have been subdued over time, the countries are still in debt for the cost the natural environment paid from 1930 to 1945. When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the Solomon Islands in 2023, the locals were petrified by an unprecedented occurrence of oil blubbering out from the deep Pacific Ocean. Lukeson Chekani, a local of the island, talked to ABC’s The Pacific Program about the strange color of the shore and the sea soon after the earthquake.

A Sunken Ship at the Bottom of the Sea. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Leonardo Lamas)

“At that time when we looked at the shore and sea – it was black,” the local said. Clueless about the substance, he revealed that only after the smell reached them, did they realize it was oil spilling out from nowhere. Some boys rowed out in their canoes to investigate the matter and “saw the oil is still bubbling up,” Chekani shared. There was no evidence about the origin of the oil spill but the local residents of the island are positive that it is likely oozing out of the shipwrecks, more than 100 of them, sunken into the ocean floor off the Solomon Islands' coastline.

War ships harboured near the shore during sunset. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Andre Furtado)

According to the source, Guadalcanal Island, part of the Solomon Islands was one of the most tragic warzones in the Pacific region during WWII. As proof, several sunken shipwrecks rest on the ocean bed, making the site a popular tourist destination, called the Iron Bottom Sound. With that stated, the shipwrecks drastically impact the marine environment and the survival of locals, mainly ranging from fishermen to boaters. Chekani, who was interviewed by the outlet, is also a fisherman relying on the beach and the sea for his livelihood. He opened up about the challenges he faced following the earthquake and accompanying oil spill. "In that one month, we didn't have any form of income, because the beach and the sea are our main incomes," Chekani admitted.

A shoreline covered in greasy layer due to massive oil spill in the ocean. (Representative Image Source: Pixabay | junebug12851)

Adding to that, the locals were also unable to use the sea for recreational activities like swimming and restricted beachgoers from visiting the region. The rough estimate of sunken ships is nearly 4,000 with the Chuuk Lagoon dubbed as the “world’s biggest ship graveyard.” However, help is underway as Australian and Japanese governments are launching initiatives to clean up the ocean floor and survey the risks of the shipwrecks contaminating the Pacific. The report stated that the Australian government has promised to invest $2.12 million to remove oil spills and tankers from the Lagoon under a project by the Japanese Mine Action Service.

Man in Black Diving Suit Diving on Water. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Ayden Zaki)

Solomon Islands Environment Minister Melchior Mataki said, “We were not responsible. This is something which we do not have resources for, nor the capacity and the technical know-how to carry out such an exercise.” Hence, the call for international action to help protect the delicate marine environment in the islands. The political figure has encouraged all of the war’s combatants to contribute and chime in with new initiatives to make the region free of future oil spills.