EKOLOŠKA KATASTROFA Pukla cijev na naftovodu, u more se izlilo 79 tisuća l nafte

LOS ANGELES - Na naftovodu uz kalifornijsku obalu puknula je cijev i u more se izlilo 79 tisuća litara nafte, objavila je obalna straža.

Taj naftovod ide usporedo s autocestom 101 u blizini Santa Barbare, a na površini mora sad je naftna mrlja dugačka šest i pol kilometara, a široka pedesetak metara, rekla je glasnogovornica obalne straže Andrea Anderson.

Po njezinim riječima, za cijevi od 61 cm odgovorna je kompanija Plains All American koja je već počela s čišćenjem, a plaža Refugio je zatvorena. Još nije poznat uzrok pucanja cijevi, dodala je.

Voditelj ureda za krizna stanja u okrugu Santa Barbare Richard Abrams kaže da u čišćenju sudjeluju i obalna straža, okrug i ured za ribarstvo i divlje životinje.

"Još nemamo podataka o šteti za divljinu, ali nafta je u vodi, dakle utječe na okoliš", rekao je Abrams.

Kompanija je objavila da je zatvorila protok nafte, da postupa po protokolu za krizna stanja te je izrazila žaljenje. "Plains duboko žali zbog curenja nafte i čini sve što može da ograniči štetu za okoliš", kaže se u priopćenju.

DAVID MCNEW / 2015 Getty Images

GOLETA, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Officials walk along an the oil-covered beach on May 19, 2015 north of Goleta, California. About 21,000 gallons spilled from an abandoned pipeline on the land near Refugio State Beach, spreading over about four miles of beach within hours. The largest oil spill ever in U.S. waters at the time occurred in the same section of the coast in 1969 where numerous offshore oil platforms can be seen, giving birth to the modern American environmental movement. David McNew/Getty Images/AFP== FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

ROBYN BECK

Oil covers a local resident's boot at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015. An oil pipeline ruptured dumping oil into the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara, California, the US Coast Guard said. The spill was estimated at 21,000 gallons (80,000 liters) of oil, local media reported. AFP PHOTO/ ROBYN BECK

ROBYN BECK

Officers from the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) set up a restricted area at Refugio State Beach after an oil spill in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015. An oil pipeline ruptured dumping oil into the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara, California, the US Coast Guard said. The spill was estimated at 21,000 gallons (80,000 liters) of oil, local media reported. AFP PHOTO/ ROBYN BECK

ROBYN BECK

Local residents stand on oil covered rocks and sand at Refugio State Beach in Goleta, California, May 19, 2015. An oil pipeline ruptured dumping oil into the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara, California, the US Coast Guard said. The spill was estimated at 21,000 gallons (80,000 liters) of oil, local media reported. AFP PHOTO/ ROBYN BECK