A large oil spill is floating in the sea off the coast of Southern California after a pipeline leak. Picturesque beaches are threatened with severe damage, and dead fish and birds are washed ashore.
Los Angeles – An oil spill has formed in the ocean off the coast of Southern California due to a leak in a pipeline. According to the authorities on Sunday, more than 475,000 liters of oil leaked.
Beaches in the town of Huntington Beach, south of Los Angeles, have been closed to visitors. District MP Katrina Foley said on Twitter that dead fish and birds were washed ashore.
Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr spoke of an environmental disaster. Mission teams have put in barriers to protect threatened wetlands from contamination.
Since Saturday, oil is said to have leaked from the defective pipeline, which is located several kilometers off the coast and is connected to a production platform. Operators said on Sunday that divers would investigate the cause of the leak. The promotion has been temporarily suspended. Since then, no more oil has leaked, said company boss Martyn Willsher.
According to the Coast Guard, the oil spill covers an area of approximately 33 square kilometers. At Huntington Beach, walkers and surfers have been told to leave the beach. An air show planned for Sunday, to which thousands of onlookers were expected on the beach, had to be canceled at short notice. dpa
