Friday, 23 July 2010

Official: 'Severe threat' to water, sea life as China oil spill grows

BEIJING (AP) - China's largest oil spill has spread to 430 square kilometers (166 square miles) hundreds of clean up workers struggle to cope.

The official news agency Xinhua says 40 oil-skimming boats and about 800 fishing boats are being used to clean up the spill, and a 15 kilometers (9 miles) oil barrier has been set up to try to stop the slick spreading.

Huang Yong, deputy bureau chief for Dalian, China Maritime Safety Administration, told Dragon TV on Wednesday, "The oil spill will pose a severe threat to marine animals, and water quality, and the sea birds."

The oil slick started spreading five days ago when a pipeline at a busy northeastern port exploded.

China Central Television earlier reported an estimate of 1,500 tons of oil has spilled.


- AP

Firefighter rushes to aid his colleague who
In this photo released by Greenpeace, a firefighter rushes to aid his colleague who ran into trouble amid thick oil cover as they attempted to fix an underwater pump in Dalian, China on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Crude oil started pouring into the Yellow Sea off a busy northeastern port after a pipeline exploded late last week, sparking a massive 15-hour fire. The government says the slick has spread across a 70-square-mile (180-square-kilometer) stretch of ocean

In this photo released by Greenpeace, a firefighter ...
In this photo released by Greenpeace, a firefighter ...


Oil covered hand of firefighter
In this photo released by Greenpeace, the oil covered hand of a firefighter who was overwhelmed by the thick oil spill while attempting to fix an underwater pump is seen after he is pulled ashore by his colleagues in Dalian, China on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Crude oil started pouring into the Yellow Sea off a busy northeastern port after a pipeline exploded late last week, sparking a massive 15-hour fire. The government says the slick has spread across a 70-square-mile (180-square-kilometer) stretch of ocean.

In this photo released by Greenpeace, the oil ...

oil washed ashore near the port of Dalian, China on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. Crude oil started pouringinto the Yellow Sea off a busy northeastern port after a pipeline exploded late last week, sparking a massive 15-hour fire. The government says the slick has spread across a 70-square-mile (180-square-kilometer) stretch of ocean

In this photo released by Greenpeace which shows ...
A view shows crude oil in the sea near Dalian
A Greenpeace activist surveys the damage of the ...
China beaches closed after oil spill
A view of the oil spill at Dalians port ...
China recruits 500 fishing ships to fight Dalian ...
In this photo taken Sunday, July 18, 2010, Chinese ...
Firefighters rest in front of a burning oil tank ...
In this Tuesday, July 20, 2010 photo, firemen ...
China uses oil-eating bacteria to clean up spill
China uses oil-eating bacteria to clean up spill
This Saturday July 17, 2010 aerial photo, released ...