A massive oil spill in the Pacific Ocean has reached the Southern California coast

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Oil is seen on the beach in Huntington Beach, California on October 3, 2021, after a pipeline breach connected to an oil rig off shore started leaking oil, according to an Orange County Supervisor.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

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PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Enlarge this image

Boats helping clean up an oil spill are seen from the shore in Huntington Beach, California on October 3, 2021, after a pipeline breach connected to an oil rig off shore started leaking oil, according to an Orange County Supervisor.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Boats helping clean up an oil spill are seen from the shore in Huntington Beach, California on October 3, 2021, after a pipeline breach connected to an oil rig off shore started leaking oil, according to an Orange County Supervisor.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

According to the Coast Guard, trained spill response contractors were working to clean up the slick and public volunteers were not needed.

Ecological damage has been reported

The damage caused by the spill could be substantial, public officials and environmental advocates said.

«The hundred-thousand of gallons of oil that spilled into the ocean near Huntington Beach provide a stark and dark reminder that oil is dirty, dangerous, and can make our air and water too toxic for life,» Laura Deehan, state director of Environment California, said in a statement.

«The oil from the spill has already washed up onto Huntington Beach and the Talbert Marsh wetlands, an area that’s home to vibrant birdlife, including great blue herons, pelicans and endangered California least terns, which migrate up the Pacific Coast. The coast is also the habitat for myriad non-avian marine life, from fish that we eat, such as tuna and sea bass, to sea turtles, dolphins and whales,» Deehan added. «This spill threatens all of them.»

Foley tweeted early Sunday morning officials had already started to find dead birds and fish in the wake of the oil slick.

She added that she had spoken with Newport Beach Mayor Brad Avery, who told her that while he was returning on his boat he saw dolphins swimming through the oil.

«It sounds worse than the information slowly trickling in,» Foley said.

California officials encouraged residents not to approach «oiled wildlife» but rather to report any animals impacted by the spill to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network by calling 1-877-823-6926.

• CAlifornia
• oil spill