California declares state of emergency after toxic leak threatens thousands of residents
Key takeaways
- California authorities said on Sunday they had discovered a crack in a damaged tank containing toxic chemicals, easing concerns over a potential explosion that prompted the evacuation of about 40,000 residents.
- "This operation that we did gave us positive intel to make educated decisions today in the positive light," he said, adding that experts are carefully studying the information collected.
- There was no indication as to what caused the leak, which was initially reported on Thursday, and McGovern did not comment on whether the crack was linked to the leak.
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California authorities said on Sunday they had discovered a crack in a damaged tank containing toxic chemicals, easing concerns over a potential explosion that prompted the evacuation of about 40,000 residents. The leak began on Friday in Orange County's Garden Grove area, sending fumes across a densely populated region near Disneyland.
By: FRANCE 24 A drone view shows water being sprayed during a chemical incident involving a leaking tank of methyl methacrylate forcing an evacuation of surrounding area California, May 23, 2026 © David Swanson, Reuters Authorities in California on Sunday said they discovered a crack in a damaged tank of toxic chemicals, potentially relieving pressure as the threat of an explosion has forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
About 40,000 residents were ordered to leave their homes in the Garden Grove area of Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles, on Friday after the tank began to leak, sending fumes over a heavily populated area about five miles from Disneyland.