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Emergency Crews Rush To Clean Up Fuel Spill In Siberian Arctic

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared a state of emergency after thousands of tons of fuel spilled from a thermal power plant near the Siberian industrial city of Norilsk on May 29.

According to the company that owns the facility, which is located above the Arctic Circle, the leak was caused when pillars supporting a storage tank containing diesel oil sank due to thawing permafrost.

An area of some 350 square kilometers has been contaminated and authorities say the cleanup could cost billions of rubles and take between five and 10 years to complete.

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