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6.4-magnitude quake strikes Chile
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Chile Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was located off Chile’s coast and about 360 miles away from Santiago, the nation’s capital. It occurred at a depth of 12.8 miles, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Wildlife teams brace for animal rescue efforts on Gulf Coast
- Staff at the Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research in Louisiana hydrate a Northern Gannet bird that was pulled from the oil-filled waters of the Gulf Saturday.
"Even as we enjoy each others' company tonight, we're also mindful of the incredible struggles of our fellow Americans on the Gulf Coast, both those leading the efforts to stem this crisis and those along the coast whose livelihoods are in jeopardy."
[Updated at 9:21 p.m.] Aquariums and animal sanctuaries in several Gulf Coast states are preparing for rescue efforts as the first oil covered animals are being pulled from the contaminated waters.
The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Springs, Florida, is seeking donations of rags, brushes and dish soap to assist in cleaning the animals, CNN affiliate Central Florida News 13 reports. Peptol Bismol can also be used to coat birds' stomachs if they ingest oil.
Staff at the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, Lousiana, told CNN affiliate WBZR that the spill could not have come at a worse time for the endangered Kemp sea turtle, which was in the midst of migrating across the Gulf to Mexico to nest.
WBZR reports that the aquarium is preparing to take in dozens of sea turtles each day and place them in tubs filled with water, kelp and rocks to simulate their natural habitat. The staff told WBZR that regular household supplies like dish detergent and mayonnaise work best to clean their shells, but the hard part is tending to the damaged lungs and liver tissue.
[Updated at 6:11 p.m.] Volunteer agencies are mobilizing thousands of people through phone registries and websites to respond to a large mass of oil drifting toward the Gulf Coast. But many people are still awaiting orders, journalist Craig Johnson reports.
[Updated at 5:07 p.m.] The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is gathering contact information here for people who want to volunteer to reduce the impacts of the oil spill. The organization notes that volunteers are not being deployed at this time, but says it will keep volunteers updated.
The group also cautions against touching or approaching oiled wildlife, as it may pose health and safety risks to humans and animals. Please contact BP's Oiled Wildlife Response Hotline immediately at 866-557-1401, with information such as the type and number of animals, location, when you saw it and a contact phone number.
The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs is also constantly updating a web page devoted to the spill. Information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and satellite imagery from the Louisiana State University Earth Scan Lab’s website are just a few of the resources.
[Updated at 4:13 p.m] There's no way to stop oily water from reaching land along the Gulf Coast, but experts will use tools both massive and microscopic to clean it up, reports CNN.com's Jim Kavanagh.
He spoke to Ralph Portier, a professor of environmental sciences at Louisiana State University, who said that oil-soaked sand on beaches in the eastern Gulf Coast can be scooped up with heavy equipment, but the grassy marshes in the Mississippi Delta can't be handled that way.
Along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast, "you're talking about a sea of grass, if you will," similar to the Florida Everglades, Portier said. "When it gets oiled, if you try and remove some of this stuff, you're going to do more damage than good. "In Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Destin, Florida, you can do that, but not here in what we like to call the Redneck Riviera," the southern Louisiana native said.
[Updated at 3:42 p.m.] See what's involved in cleaning up an oil spill, and a list of some of the worst oil spills in U.S. and world history.
[Updated at 3:31 p.m.] Tom MacKenzie of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told CNN the oil spill could endanger turtles and manatees. “We can’t boom the entire coast line,” he said. “So, do we expect a hit? Absolutely.”
“This has the potential of being truly devastating."
[Updated at 3:14 p.m.] WDSU reports that BP has changed the phone number for its "Vessel of Opportunity" program to 281-366-551. The program was set up to incorporate fishermen and boaters for the oil spill clean-up effort, WDSU reports.
[Updated at 2:17 p.m.] CNN.com's Amy Zerba created this gallery of images showing the response to the oil spill.
[Updated at 2:10 p.m.] The impact of the oil slick is expected to be felt along the Gulf Coast during the next two days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This NOAA graphic shows possible locations of impact through Monday. The graphic was prepared by NOAA on Wednesday.
Possible locations of oil spill impact through Monday
The impact of the oil slick is expected to be felt along the Gulf Coast during the next two days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA graphic above shows possible locations of impact through Monday. The graphic was prepared by NOAA on Wednesday.
Severe weather possible for southeastern U.S., Ohio valley
Severe weather is possible Saturday for parts of the southeastern U.S. and the lower Ohio valley, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
Strong tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are possible, forecasters said.
Some of the states that could be affected include:
- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
See the latest warnings and watches at NOAA's Web site. Check out the weather in your area.
Gulf Coast residents brace for potential calamity
Officials anticipate that oil floating toward Louisiana is likely to reach land sometime Friday.
(Update 9:13 p.m.) EPA administrator Lisa Jackson said Friday there is a chance that workers will be able to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, but warned that the EPA is preparing for the worst.
"There is still the opportunity and the possibility that they would be able to shut it down," Jackson told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. "Of course as responders we have to look at the worst case, and keep planning for that."
Jackson's comments come as the federal government is ramping up the pressure on BP to do more to stop well leaks gushing thousands of barrels of oil into waters off Louisiana. The government is also pushing BP to beef up its response as a giant oil slick approaches the Louisiana coast.
In the interview on CNN's John King USA that aired Friday, Jackson responded to questions about the level of trust the Obama administration had in BP immediately following the April 20 oil rig explosion that also resulted in 11 presumed deaths.
"I don't think it was ever a question of trust in the company, I think it was a question of responding to the set of facts as we came to understand them," Jackson said. "The situation has certainly worsened. It began as a human tragedy, it is now what I think is an environmental challenge of the highest order."
(Update 7:42 p.m.) Sen. David Vitter announced the closure of several oyster beds in eastern Louisiana, but kept the western parts open, CNN affiliate WDSU reports.
The director for Rouses Supermarket, which has stores across the Gulf Coast, including southern Louisiana and Mississippi, said all seafood on the shelves is safe, according to WDSU.
"Everything that is coming into the markets and restaurants is coming from the west part of the Mississippi River," Seafood Director James Bruel told WDSU.
"Everything we get is traceable. Anything that comes through our back doors has an invoice of where it came from. Everything right now is 100 percent safe to eat," he said.
(Update 6:48 p.m.) U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has approved Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's request to mobilize 6,000 National Guard troops in response to the massive oil spill expanding in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a Defense Department spokesman.
Roundup: Reports and perspectives on the oil spill
Louis Skrmetta, the operations manager of Ship Island Excursions in Gulfport, Mississippi, says the oil spill could lead to him filing for bankruptcy.
(Updated at 9:26 a.m.)
BP hiring fishing boats to help
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Protection posted this notice:
"BP is looking to contract with vessels for hire (shrimp boats, oyster boats, etc.) to deploy boom in the Gulf of Mexico. The response contractors for this program are already collecting information on vessels. Specifically, they need the name, owner, dimensions, characteristics (including length, draft, horsepower, etc) and other pertinent information you can provide. Direction and training will be provided and determined by area response plans based on the highest priority areas on down.
"As soon as you have gathered the relevant information on your vessel, please email that information to the managing contractor Vince Mitchell at vince.mitchell@lamor.com or 425-745-8017. As well, please copy BP's coordinator Grant Johnson at grant.johnson@bp.com."
(Updated at 9:19 p.m.)
Floridians: What now?
For many residents and businesses along Florida's Panhandle, the oil spill has been met with uncertainty, CNN affiliate WALA reports.
The question for many Floridians bracing for the oil spill to head their way isn't why, or how, but simply, what to do now?
"I guess one thing about hurricanes is you know what you can do," Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce President Meg Peltier told WALA. "You go to the store, you shop, you buy all your goodies and you get ready. People want to get ready for this, but they don't know what to do," Peltier said.
Buddy Rogers, who operates a beach business, told WALA that "The phones have just about stopped ringing, and those that are calling, they're cancelling charters." Rogers said, "I've offered the boat [to authorities] in any way I can, pull booms, whatever they think we can do to help. Right now, all I can do is cut all my spending, save what little bit I can."
Gulf Coast residents worried
Mississippi Gulf Coast residents see their way of life imperiled as the oil slick sloths toward the shoreline.
Fisherman Harold Strong told WLOX, "We'll be out of business, basically, pretty much devastated. I see no recovery. If you lose two to three years, I can see absolutely no way to come back from it."
Marc Douroux Jr., who fishes for a pasttime rather than livelihood, said the oil spill is sure to change marine life.
"All the livestock is going to be killed, birds are going to die, crabs are going to die, fish are going to die, there's not going to be nothing to fish for no more," he told WLOX.
[Updated at 7:04 p.m.]
Tour boat captain says oil spill worse than Katrina
CNN All Platform Journalist Sarah Hoye and photojournalist Mark Biello are currently in Gulfport, Mississippi. They spent the morning with local tour boat captains, whose livelihoods – ferrying tourists around the barrier islands – are threatened by the approaching oil spill.
Louis Skrmetta is the operations manager of Ship Island Excursions, a family-owned business since 1926. He told CNN that the oil coming to shore is worse than Hurricane Katrina.
"At least with Katrina we had clean water and something to eat," he said. "I'd rather lose my house again than go through this."
With his three boats docked, Skrmetta says he is considering filing for bankruptcy if he cannot operate tours this summer, his busiest time of year.
Roundup: New ash cloud could extend air travel threat
The eruption of an Icelandic volcano, which had slowed in recent days, strengthened on Monday, spewing a new cloud of ash that officials said was heading toward the United Kingdom - possibly posing a renewed threat to air travel.
The statement came after millions of travelers stranded on both sides of the Atlantic were given a glimpse of hope earlier in the day, with officials announcing a plan to partially reopen European skies to air traffic.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
- ‘Baby killer’ shouted: While addressing the House, Rep. Bart Stupak was called a "baby killer."
- Health care bill passes: House lawmakers pass a health care overhaul bill by a 219-212 vote.
- Texas lawmaker: I yelled 'It's a baby killer': Texas Rep. Randy Neugebauer says he was the Republican House member who called out "baby killer" during the chamber's debate Sunday night on the health care reform bill.
- Where does health care reform stand? The House on Sunday passed the Senate's health care reform bill and a package of measures meant to reconcile differences between the Senate bill and the one it passed last year.
- How the health care bill could affect you: Americans will see some immediate changes when President Obama signs the new health care bill into law Tuesday.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Sandra Bullock has left family home: Sandra Bullock and Jesse James are not living under the same roof right now.
Face of Taliban justice: An Afghan shelter helps women like Bibi Aisha, whose husband cut off her nose and ears. (Graphic content)
Cornell deals with wave of student suicides: A wave of suicides at Cornell University in the past two semesters is a "public health crisis," the school's mental health initiatives director said.
Wal-Mart 'appalled' at racist announcement: New Jersey authorities are investigating an announcement made over a public address system at a southern New Jersey Wal-Mart telling "all blacks" to leave the store.
Alleged Woods mistress posts 'sext' messages: A former porn actress who says she had a three-year intimate relationship with Tiger Woods posted text messages online Thursday that she says the golfer sent her last year.
A round-up of the latest on the health care fight
On Wednesday, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, indicated a House vote on the health care bill passed by the Senate in December could come at some point this weekend.
Hoyer said the leadership is still waiting for final cost estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on a package of changes to the measure.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Police: Drunk, high dad leaves baby in oven: A Kentucky man high on marijuana and drunk on whiskey put his 5-week-old son in the oven Sunday and left him there overnight, police said.
Plane hits and kills jogger: A man was killed on a Hilton Head, South Carolina beach by a plane making an emergency landing. WSAV has the video.
House of the setting sun: For the launch of VICE magazine in Mexico, we decided to make an entire issue about Mexico, written entirely by Mexicans.
Elderly sex workers cohabitate: A residential facility in a dangerous Mexico neighborhood caters to elderly sex workers.
Casey Anthony says she's broke: Casey Anthony is headed back to court in Orlando, Florida on Thursday - this time to tell a judge she has run out of money and needs state funding for costs associated with her upcoming murder trial.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Honda recalls 400,00 vehicles for brake: Honda said Tuesday it is recalling more than 400,000 vehicles in the United States after consumers complained of brake pedals feeling "soft."
African teen king lives dual life: At first glance, he looks like any other 17-year-old.
Jackson estate signs record deal with Sony: The administrators of Michael Jackson's estate and Sony Music Entertainment said Tuesday that they have reached a deal concerning the sale of the late singer's recordings.
Driver slams into rock slide: A driver runs into rock slide debris on a portion of U.S. Highway 129 in Tennessee known as "The Dragon."
Facebook traffic tops Google for the week: Facebook topped Google to become the most visited U.S. Web site last week, indicating a shift in how Americans are searching for content.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Boy, 12, charged with murder: A 12-year-old could be tried on charges of murdering his father's pregnant fiancee.
Toyota takes aim at California runaway Prius: Toyota challenged a California driver's story of an out-of-control Prius at a press conference Monday afternoon.
Google may leave China soon: Google appears to be getting closer to shutting down its strictly monitored search engine in China, according to news reports.
Snowmobiler defies gravity: A snowmobiler defying gravity and the ultimate relaxation video are in Viral Video Rewind with CNN's Josh Levs.
Rielle Hunter photo shoot: John Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, recently posed for photos with GQ magazine.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
The Police release serial killer's photos: Hoping to solve numerous cold cases, authorities on Thursday released more than a hundred photos of unidentified women and children found in a storage unit that belonged to a serial killer who appeared on "The Dating Game."
Serial killer had photo stash: Police find hundreds of pictures thought taken by convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala.
Teacher admits to teen sex? Police in California say a 33-year-old teacher turned herself in, and admitted she had sex with a 14-year-old student.
Chaz Bono’s gender journey: Chaz Bono tells CNN's Anderson Cooper about his gender transition and emotional journey.
What killed Lehman: Failings by Lehman Brothers executives and its auditor led to the bank collapse that unleashed the worst of the financial crisis, according to a report by a court-appointed investigator.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Teacher admits to teen sex? Police in California say a 33-year-old teacher turned herself in, and admitted she had sex with a 14-year-old student.
Three strong earthquakes strike Chile: Three strong earthquakes rocked Chile on Thursday, causing significant damage in at least one city, the country's newly inaugurated president said Thursday.
Some nurses paid more than family doctors: Despite the growing shortage of family doctors in the United States, medical centers last year offered higher salaries and incentives to specialist nurses than to primary care doctors, according to an annual survey of physicians' salaries.
Corey Feldman on Haim’s death: Actor Corey Feldman reacts to the death of his best friend and "Lost Boys" co-star, Corey Haim.
Judge blocks release of photos of dead hiker: Photos of the nude and decapitated body of a murdered hiker, sought by a writer on assignment for Hustler magazine, will not be released, a judge in Georgia ordered Wednesday.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
Director gets Oscar do-over: Roger Ross Williams delivers the Oscar acceptance speech for best documentary short that he never had a chance to give.
Oscar interrupter says she was wronged: A documentary producer who interrupted a director's Oscar acceptance speech Sunday night says she was the one who was "big-footed" on stage.
Forget Toyota. Chrysler’s got the most problems.: The car company that is off to the worst start of 2010 isn't Toyota. It's Chrysler Group.
‘Lost Boys’ star Corey Haim dies at 38: Former 1980s teen movie actor and heartthrob Corey Haim died early Wednesday, authorities said.
Firing the $70 billion man: On November 19, 2009 Jeffrey Gundlach was named a finalist for Morningstar's award for bond fund manager of the decade. For Gundlach, the nomination recognized 10 years of stellar results, exceeding even the returns of the legendary king of bonds, Bill Gross.
The day's most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the last 24 hours, according to Newspulse.
43% have less than $10k for retirement: The percentage of American workers with virtually no retirement savings grew for the third straight year, according to a survey released Tuesday.
Serial killer was once 'Bachelor No. 1': Before he was a convicted serial killer, Rodney Alcala was a winning bachelor on "The Dating Game."
Tornado takes out houses: CNN's Anderson Cooper talks with a man who shot video of a tornado that swept through an Oklahoma town.
Man describes runaway Prius: A California driver says his Toyota wouldn't stop even though he was braking hard. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports.
Director gets Oscar do-over: Roger Ross Williams delivers the Oscar acceptance speech for best documentary short that he never had a chance to give.
The day’s most popular stories
The five most popular stories on CNN.com during the past 24 hours, according to News Pulse:
Remains of Amber DuBois found, police say: The remains of Amber DuBois, a 14-year-old San Diego, California-area girl who was missing for more than a year, have been found, police said Sunday.
Academy Award winners: A complete list of the 82nd annual Academy Awards winners and nominees.
Paisley OK after fall from stage: Country music singer-songwriter Brad Paisley was examined and released from a hospital after taking a nasty spill during a South Carolina concert Saturday, the entertainer says on his Web site and Twitter account.
Serial killer was once 'Bachelor No. 1': Before he was a convicted serial killer, Rodney Alcala was a winning bachelor on "The Dating Game."
Brad Paisley falls on stage: Country singer Brad Paisley took a spill onstage during a concert, then invited audience members to post it on YouTube.
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