Oil spillage from the sunken Deepwater Horizon rig is threatening US coastlines.

BP and the US Coast Guard are working together to protect the US coastline against contamination from the oil spill off the sunken Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.

BP is expanding its onshore operations in case the oil should reach the shores of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida – all of which are potentially at risk. Reports today, Friday 30 April, state that oil has already reached the mouth of the Mississippi, and that Louisiana has declared a ‘state of emergency’.

Around 220,000 feet of protective boom has been deployed in an effort to contain the oil, while the White House has stated that 1,178 people are dealing with the spillage, 76 response vessels are on site, and almost 100,000 gallons of dispersant have been deployed.

Tony Hayward, BP Group Chief Executive, said: “We are doing absolutely everything in our power to eliminate the source of the leak and contain the environmental impact of the spill. We are determined to fight this spill on all fronts, in the deep waters of the Gulf, in the shallow waters and, should it be necessary, on the shore.”

Around 5,000 barrels of oil are thought to be spilling into the water every day from the rig. The White House has issued a ban on all new offshore oil drilling until the investigation into what caused the fire and subsequent explosion has been completed.