A Major Oil Slick Afflicts Southern California
According to a statement by the municipality of Huntington Beach, more than 572,807 liters of oil were spilled into the waters of southern California.
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Dolphins were seen swimming in the slick.
US coastal guards hurried to the rescue as they tried to contain one of California's largest oil spills in its history.
The oil spill, which has engulfed popular beaches in crude contamination, has killed wildlife and polluted kilometer-squares of the ocean in its wake. Dead birds and fish were in sight at the scene.
An Orange County supervisor described that one can "get the taste in the mouth just from the vapors in the air" as a result of the man-made disaster affecting the air, too.
According to a Twitter statement by the municipality of Huntington Beach, more than 572,807 liters of oil were spilled into the waters of Orange County, southern California. “The spill has significantly affected Huntington Beach, with substantial ecological impacts occurring at the beach and at the Huntington Beach Wetlands,” the statement said.
US Coast Guard teams and personnel used skimmers to contain the areas in which oil floated to stop the crude substance from spreading, protecting the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.
In order to facilitate clean-up efforts, and given the potential health impacts, the decision has been made to cancel the final day of the Pacific Airshow due to yesterday's oil spill. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you in advance for your understanding. pic.twitter.com/RYr796SZ3r
— City of Huntington Beach (@CityofHBPIO) October 3, 2021
Yellow caution tape was strung between lifeguard towers in order to keep people away from the scene for 6.4 kilometers along the coast.
Upon this occurrence, Huntington Beach officials canceled the final day of the Pacific Air Show, an event that attracts thousands of spectators.
The source of yet another environmental tragedy
A pipeline operated by Beta Operating Company broke. The pipeline is connected to an offshore oil platform named Elly, which is also connected to another one called Ellen.
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Elly and Ellen.
The platforms are located very near to Long Beach, one of the most prominent tourist sites for the state, at a distance of 14 km.
Beta Operating Company and its parent company, Amplify Energy Corp., didn’t immediately return phone messages and emails seeking comment.
