国际英语新闻：U.S. president promises "relentless response" to oil spill

HOUSTON, May 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday warned of a "massive and potentially uNPRecedented environmental disaster" and said his administration has mounted a "relentless response" to the oil spill unleashed by the sinking of an offshore drill rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

Obama met with local, state and federal officials involved in the clean-up efforts in southeastern Louisiana, the closest stretch of coastline threatened by the massive spill triggered by the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig off the Louisiana coast.

He admitted that even with "the most advanced technology available," the spill may not be stopped for many days.

U.S. President Barack Obama talks after touring the Coast Guard Venice Center in the Gulf of Mexico region to view environmental damage caused by the sinking of BP's oil and gas Deepwater Horizontal drilling rig while in Venice, Louisiana, May 2, 2010

"I'm not going to rest, and none of the gentlemen and women who are here are going to rest or be satisfied, until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil on the Gulf is contained and cleaned up and the people of this region are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods," he said.

"We will spare no resource to clean up whatever damage is caused," he added.

An explosion occurred on April 20 at the Deepwater Horizon rig, located about 42 km southeast of Venice, Louisiana. Eleven workers were killed.

The rig, owned by Transocean and leased by BP, sank on April 22 after burning for roughly 36 hours, and the untapped wellhead is gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. About 1.6 million gallons of oil has spilled since the explosion, according to the Coast Guard.