Giant oil spill in the gulf of mexico makes national emergency

Giant oil spill in the gulf of mexico creates hazzard

Juan C. Blyler

Last week, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico called the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank. It first looked like the oil spill from the accident would be small, but now the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that the the damaged pipes from the BP company-owned rig are leaking 5,000 barrels a day.

The oil is thin at the surface, but because the spill is coming from deep underwater, there's lots of oil in the water that can be seen from above.

President Barack Obama will travel to the Gulf early tomorrow to survey the slick.

Bad weather is preventing skimming operations off the Gulf Coast and kilometres of boom lines laid out to protect sensitive wildlife areas are now being battered by heavy seas.

A state of emergency has been declared in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.