Israeli officials say that an oil spill Wednesday night is one of the worst environmental disasters to strike the country.

The accident on the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline caused crude oil to flood 200 acres of a desert reserve about 12 miles north of the Red Sea.

The slick reportedly has run into ravines and pooled there, avoiding the rare trees and plants in the majority of the park.  The spill is not expected to be able to reach the Red Sea unless major rainstorms were to hit the region.

“Rehabilitation will take months, if not years,” Environment Ministry official Guy Samet told Israel Radio.

The oil will be collected with suction equipment and government officials say they will likely collect contaminated earth as well.