ビーチに出現の「謎の黒い球体」、正体はタールボール　豪シドニー

【シドニーＡＦＰ＝時事】オーストラリア・シドニーの人気ビーチ２か所に大量に出現した「謎の黒い球体」は、石油由来の「タールボール」であることが化学検査で判明した。市当局が１６日、発表した。（写真は、「謎の黒い物体」の出現で近隣のビーチ２か所が閉鎖された後の豪シドニーのマルブラビーチ）
　シドニーでは今週、観光地として有名なクージービーチに、ゴルフボールからテニスボール程度の大きさの黒い球体が数千個が散乱し、騒ぎとなっていた。
　タールボールは、流出した油が風や波にもまれて粘着性のある塊となり、それが小さな「ボール」状に分解されて形成される。
　市関係者によると、タールボールがどこから流れ着いたのかはまだ分かっていない。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/10/17-17:01）

Lifeguards declared Sydney's famed Bondi beach and several other strands closed Thursday, as more mysterious black tar ball globules washed up along the city's shores.
For days, thousands of black spheres -- ranging from the size of peas to tennis balls -- have appeared on the sand, puzzling locals and tourists alike.
Chemical testing has identified them as hydrocarbon-based tar balls, local officials said.
Tar balls can form when slicks of spilled oil are battered by wind and waves, mixing to form a sticky seawater emulsion that eventually breaks into smaller pieces or balls.
The source is still unknown.
As a precaution, all Waverley Beaches will be closed until further investigation has been carried out, a local council that includes Bondi said.
The mayor of another beachside council, Dylan Parker, said three other beaches were also closed.
Our beaches will remain closed and we are investigating, he said. We are still waiting for the tides to come in.
While formally closed, access to the beaches has not been forcibly restricted, so some brave surfers and swimmers could still be seen in the water.
It is common for authorities to declare beaches closed during large swells.