There was a huge oil spill off the California coast on Saturday. The chemical stain is up to 10 kilometers long and may grow and there are dead birds and fish on the beaches. State officials said Monday that the contamination has been removed, but US meteorologists have no good news. A storm heading towards the area may hinder work.

Eight kilometers off the coast of Huntington Beach There was an oil spill in California. It is estimated that about three thousand barrels of oil entered the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists warn that the upcoming bad weather could worsen the situation in the region.

California oil spillPAP / EPA / Christian Montrosa

California. The greatest natural disaster in decades

Kim Carr, the mayor of Huntington Beach, said Monday that the oil spill is “one of the most devastating situations the community has faced in decades.” The more you see so far is not the end of the leak. In the coming days, more dangerous substances will appear on the surface of the water and shore.

The leak was announced on Saturday. Local media reported that more than 476,000 liters of post-production oil had been pumped into the ocean as of Sunday evening. Since then, dead fish and birds have been found on the beaches of Southern California.

As reported in the local press, oil has also begun to flow into the Talbert Marsh Reserve, known for its vast wetlands.

California oil spillPAP / EPA / CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA

The weather will make work difficult

Law enforcement authorities across Southern California have taken steps to decontaminate. However, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Alan Reppert doesn’t have good news. A storm coming to the area may hinder work.

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– Storm […] You will hit the ground. It will likely only bring precipitation in and around Los Angeles. However, this is likely to lead to high tide in the (contaminated) area, which is not expected to subside until Tuesday, he said.

The storm is expected to arrive late Monday evening or early Tuesday morning local time. You will move east. The weather is set to improve on Wednesday, but given the scale of the disaster, it may be too late to save many animals.

“It is possible that the increased waves will widen the oil slick and affect its removal,” Ripert said. He added that another breakdown in weather is expected at the end of the week.

Mayor Kim Carr, citing Coast Guard information, explained that the spill may be the result of oil being released in the process of extracting it from the ocean floor near Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach Sunbathing WarningsPAP / EPA / Christian Montrosa

Main image source: PAP / EPA / CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA