Personal safety questions after Yellowstone River oil spillage

An oil leak in Montana has angered residents who are concerned about their personal safety.

It happened in Yellowstone River where an estimated 750 to 1,000 barrels spilled through a damaged pipeline in the riverbed.

Exxon has said that the leak has been confined to a ten-mile area, however, this has been disputed.

"Nobody can say definitively. It's too early. We need boats on the water," said governor Brian Schweitzer.

However, the LA Times reported that there have been reports of oil up to 100 miles away.

"We take our rivers very seriously here in Montana. We will not allow this catastrophe to affect the $400-million (£248 million) trout industry in Montana," Mr Schweitzer added.

Gary Pruessing, president of Exxon Mobil Pipeline, told a news conference telecast that overflights are being carried out to locate any oil travelling downstream, which might be broken up by the turbulence of the river.