Oil slick emergency spreads to Florida

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida's coastal counties because of the threat from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The spill that threatens to become America's worst environmental disaster in decades, spread out of control and started washing ashore along the Gulf Coast on Thursday night.

The oil slick is threatening hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife along the Gulf Coast, one of the world's richest seafood grounds, teeming with shrimp, oysters and other marine life.

Louisiana declared a state of emergency on Thursday before the spill reached land.

There are also fears the crisis will deepen in the region after the US Coast Guard reported that an inshore oil rig overturned near Morgan City, Louisiana.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama said that domestic oil drilling remains an important part of US energy policy, but must be done responsibly. He said any future offshore tracts leased to companies to search for oil would be subject to better safety measures to prevent and control spills.