Authorities on Friday closed a section of a Southern California beach and adjacent water near the carcass of a dead fin whale that washed ashore.
The Orange County Health Care Agency’s environmental health division determined that the decomposing remains posed a health hazard at Bolsa Chica State Beach.
Authorities believe the whale is one of two that were struck by an Australian navy ship last week and then towed out to sea from San Diego.
Bolsa Chica is about 90 miles up the coast from San Diego Bay.