Broken pipeline leads to an estimated 126,000 gallons of oil leakage

A broken pipeline has led to an estimated 126,000 gallons of oil leaked into the Ocean waters near Orange County, prompting Southern California officials to rapidly race to contain the damage in one of the largest oil spills in recent memory, reports USA Today.

The oil spill reached the shores of Huntington Beach late Saturday – five miles off the coast. Crews were able to remove more than 3,000 gallons of oil from the ocean off the coastline Sunday, according to Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, the report stated, adding that wildlife harmed by the oil was still emerging, with dead birds and fish washing ashore. Efforts to keep the spill from affecting any more sensitive marshland was ongoing.

“We’re hoping we have minimal impact, but we’re preparing for the worst,” Christian Corbo, a lieutenant at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said in a public statement.