The colossal leak near the Los Angeles suburb of Porter Ranch has released tens of thousands of kilograms of methane gas.
In late October, Natural gas had been spewing out at a rate of up to 100,000 pounds per hour for weeks from an oil well. The prolonged duration of the hazard has prompted the state to step up oversight of what is now considered an unprecedented environmental disaster.
The Governor of California, Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on Wednesday. The government is setting up a new local command structure to help coordinate efforts to contain the leak, and will expand its monitoring of local air quality.
Around Thanksgiving, the family near the oil well are experiencing headaches, nausea and nosebleeds and similar ailments. Later they found that the cause was the leak.
Two local schools have been closed and thousands of families have been relocated.
All costs related to the problem will be borne by the related oil and gas company.
The ultimate environmental impact of the disaster cannot yet be calculated
Source: CNN
