Oil continue to spill in NZ sea

Attempts to contain the oil spill from a container ship off New Zealand has stopped due to bad weather.
Tonnes of oil are washing up on local beaches in clumps.
The grounded ship Rena, continues to sit stranded on a reef off New Zealand.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER NICK SMITH SAYING:
"This event has come to a scale where it is New Zealand's most significant maritime environmental disaster."
As much as 350 tonnes of fuel oil has already escaped and authorities have warned people off the beaches and from eating seafood.
Clean-up teams are now on Mount Maunganui beach cleaning up the oil.
Sea birds and animals are being rescued and taken to a rehabilitation centre.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) WILDLIFE RESPONSE CENTRE MANAGER BRETT GARTRELL SAYING:
"The ones we that are coming in today are sicker, which is what we expected."
So far fewer than a dozen seabirds have died and about the same number treated for oil contamination.
The beach is closed for swimming and fishing and a public health warning was issued.
The ship was en route to Tauranga to collect cargo before heading for Singapore.
Sophia Soo, Reuters.