BILLINGS, Mont., July 5 (UPI) -- Exxon Mobil said it would have to wait for flood waters to subside to start oil cleanup operations along parts of the Yellowstone River in Montana.
A leak on the Silvertip pipeline dumped around 1,000 barrels of oil into the Yellowstone River near Billings, Mont., late Friday.
Operator Exxon Mobil said there were more than 280 people involved in the cleanup and 150 were deployed along the river banks as of Monday.
"Given the current flooding and very swift river currents, we will need to wait until it is safe to get into some areas," the company added.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning until Thursday afternoon for parts of south central Montana. A slight chance of rain is expected through the weekend.
Exxon said the cause of the leak from the 12-inch pipeline was under investigation.
Authorities said the spill could reach the Missouri River, fed by the Yellowstone River. The energy company said it had a unified command in place to monitor the plume.
