A major oil spill reached Huntington Beach in Southern California on Saturday, causing an emergency response to protect the region’s ecology.
Huntington Beach spokesperson Jennifer Carey said the oil spill is believed to have originated from a pipeline that has dumped 126,000 gallons into the waters.
“We classify this as a major spill, and it is a high priority to us to mitigate any environmental concerns,” Carey was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times. “It’s all hands on deck.”
Workers moved to shut down the pipeline and retrieve as much of the oil as possible soon after the spill occurred, the Times noted.
As of Sunday morning, the ongoing spill had already surpassed the 2007 oil spill that affected San Francisco Bay when a cargo ship struck the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and 58,000 gallons leaked.
There were “significant ecological impacts” in Huntington Beach, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley tweeted.
“We’ve started to find dead birds & fish washing up on the shore,” Foley tweeted, sharing photos of oil washing onto the beach.
She asked that individuals who encounter animals affected by the oil spill call Oiled Wildlife Care Network at 877-823-6926. However, people should not approach affected wildlife.