Tropical Storm Bonnie on track for oil spill
(CNS): Tropical Storm Bonnie had increased its speed on Friday morning as it raced towards southern Florida on a course towards the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Forecasters at the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was likely to reach the Gulf of Mexico by Saturday. Earlier this morning Bonnie was centred about 80 miles southeast of Miami with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The storm is moving at 19mph and tropical force winds extend outward up to 85 miles. The NHC said Bonnie could strengthen when it reached the gulf. There were no reports of major damage, flooding or injuries in the southeastern and central Bahamas as the storm past on Thursday night.
Work to dig a relief oil well has been suspended as boats around BP’s ruptured well prepared to evacuate. The leaking oil well spewed somewhere between 94 million and 184 million gallons into the Gulf before a cap could be attached. The crisis — the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history — unfolded after the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers.
Experts continue to raise concerns that the hurricane season could worsen environmental damage from the spill, with powerful winds and large waves pushing oil deeper into estuaries and wetlands and also depositing more of the pungent, sticky mess on beaches.
Category: Science and Nature
