Route 90, one of Israel's longest roads – which stretches from Israel's northern border with Lebanon to its southern border with Egypt – was closed in its southern portion near Eliat on Wednesday night after an oil pipeline burst and caused a spill of thousands of cubic meters of crude oil.
Three women who were in the area of the spill, and inhaled hazardous gas, were treated by Magen David Adom units.
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Firefighter works to stop oil spill in southern Israel. (Photo: Police Spokesman's Unit)
(צילום: חטיבת דובר המשטרה)
Drivers seeking to enter or exit Eilat were directed to drive on Route 12, and Eilat district police and the traffic department directed traffic near the site of the spill.
The spill broke out in the south of Be'er Ora near Eilat and stretched out for a couple of kilometers.
"This is a pretty serious spill. The pipe burst and it took some time until the main faucet which is located far away close to Yotvata was shut down. Five ponds have emerged from the spill, and heavy engineering tools are working at this moment to prevent the crude oil from entering Jordan and to stop the continuation of the spill," said Eilat District Spokesman Commander Shimon Cohen.
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Crews work to stop oil spill near Route 90. (Photo: Police Spokesman's Unit)
(צילום: חטיבת דובר המשטרה)
Media outlets in Jordan reported that residents had described a strange smell in the area. Residents of Aqaba in Jordan also reported suffering from suffocation.
The governor of Aqaba told Jordanian press that the gas leak does not pose a threat to Jordanian citizens however he asked residents to remain alert.
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Oil spill in southern Israel. (Photo: Police Spokesman's Unit)
(צילום: חטיבת דובר המשטרה)
Crude oil can contaminate land, release hazardous gas, and harm flora and fauna.
The leak reached the Wastelands of Evrona nature preserve, which is home to a preserve of rare Egyptian Doum palm trees, one of the most northern areas in the world where the specific palm tree grows, and an extensive deer population.
Doron Nissim, the director of the Nature Reserves and National Parks in Eilat, said that the Wastelands of Evrona preserve seems to have taken a hard hit from the leak already.
"The preserve contains thousands of very expensive acacia trees and 280 Dorcas gazelles. From what we know now, there is vast damage to the land. Tomorrow we will perform an analysis of the damage and then we will know more," Nissim said.
Einat Alfasa and Roi Kais contributed to this report.