On 25th anniversary of Exxon Valdez oil spill, officials rush to clean up large spill in Texas
Monday, March 24, 2014, 8:40 PM -
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck Prince William Sound's Bligh reef in Alaska, spilling up to 750,000 barrels of crude oil into U.S. waters.
To date, it is considered one of the most destructive human-caused environmental disasters.
Immediate effects include the deaths of:
- 250 seabirds
- Nearly 4,000 sea otters
- 247 bald eagles
- 22 orcas
- Countless fish and plant species
The impact of this disastrous spill can still be seen, with an estimated 23,000 gallons of Valdez crude oil remaining in Alaska's soil today.
RELATED: Sea otters still recovering 25 years after Exxon Valdez oil spill
As the world marked the 25th anniversary of this ecological disaster, officials in Texas rushed to clean up after an oil spill in Galveston bay that's said to be affecting coastal wildlife and blocking traffic in the Gulf of Mexico.
Thousands of birds are faced oil in the water and along the shorelines they feed on.
A barge collided with a ship on Saturday, spilling what's believed to be about 4,000 of oil into the shipping channel.
It's the height of migration season, and wildlife officials say those birds use the area as a refuge during spring migration.
The spill and clean-up is also delaying the docking of several cruise ships returning to port in Galveston bay.
