The Peruvian government on Saturday declared a 90-day “environmental emergency” in damaged coastal territories, after an oil spill that saw 6,000 barrels of crude oil pour into the sea, writes DW.

Peruvian authorities say that this measure will allow for “sustainable management of the affected areas”, through “restoration and remediation” work.

Emergency crews in white biosafety suits are using shovels to remove the oily sand, which is then transported to toxic waste dumps.

The oil spill came out of a tanker belonging to the Spanish energy firm Repsol. The incident occurred at the La Pampilla refinery, some 30 kilometers (around 19 miles) north of the Peruvian capital of Lima in the Ventanilla district of the port city of Callao.

According to the refinery, the spill was caused by freak waves, which resulted from the eruption of a volcano in Tonga.