FARC attack on oil pipeline pollutes water supply in Colombia

An attack against an oil pipeline by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest rebel group, Wednesday affected water service to more than 16,000 people in Tibu, northeastern Colombia, the environment minister said.

The recent FARC attack against the Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline, the largest pipeline in the country, has polluted the Catatumbo River, the region's main tributary watercourse, Colombian Environment Minister Gabriel Vallejo said.

The water pumps that supply fresh water to several communities had to be closed due to the heavy pollution caused by the oil spill, Vallejo said.

"This is an environmental catastrophe for the country. Two municipalities have been affected in less than two weeks. We have ordered restrictions on drinking water in Tibu, a town with some 16,000 inhabitants," the official told local media.

The terrorist attack happened after a clash between the army and the FARC guerrillas in a rural area near the municipality of Teorema, in Norte de Santander Department.

Vallejo is planning to fly over the area to assess the situation. Endi