Rescue center for oiled birds opens in southern Russia (VIDEO)

A long stretch of shoreline in Russia’s Krasnodar Region has been polluted after two oil tankers sank in the Black Sea

A rescue center for birds affected by an extensive oil spill after the sinking of two tankers has been opened in the city of Anapa in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Region, the mayor’s office reported on Wednesday. It is staffed by a team of veterinarians and volunteers.

Two tankers reportedly carrying over 9,000 tons of fuel were badly damaged in stormy weather on Sunday in the Kerch Strait, the passage that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.

One of the ships broke in half, causing an oil spill. Oil leaked into the sea as a result of the incident, and has washed up along the coastline, polluting the air and threatening wildlife in one of the region’s worst ecological disasters in recent years.

Oil is visible for dozens of kilometers along the coast between the cities of Temryuk and Anapa, which are popular tourist destinations.

Waterfowl have been severely affected by the leak.

Numerous videos posted on social media showed birds floundering in oil, flapping their wings and struggling to fly. Local residents and volunteers working at the scene also reported high levels of pollution in the air along the sea coast.

Russia’s Natural Resources Ministry said on Monday that some of the fuel may have sunk to the seabed due to the cold weather.

While the ministry said the scale of the oil spill was not clear, environmentalists warned that the consequences for wildlife and marine ecosystems could be devastating.

The cleanup operations, which are taking place along 49km (30 miles) of shoreline and involve around 4,000 volunteers, pose a significant challenge for the region.