Caustic Sludge Floods Several Hungarian Towns
By DAN BILEFSKY and JUDY DEMPSEY
Published: October 5, 2010
PRAGUE — The Hungarian government declared a state of emergency in several towns on Tuesday, a day after a reservoir at an alumina refining plant in Ajka burst its banks, unleashing a flood of caustic red sludge that killed at least four people and injured more than 120, government officials said.
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The flood, estimated at 700,000 cubic meters, or 185 million gallons, swept cars off roads, damaged bridges and houses, and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents. People who came in contact with the substance were burned through their clothes.
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Hungarian environmental experts said that the spill could have devastating environmental consequences and that it threatened to pollute the Danube River, causing long-term damage to ecosystems and killing fish and vegetation. The agricultural soil that is now under the sludge will have to be replaced at a potentially high cost, the experts said.
The authorities and emergency services evacuated residents from Kolontar, Devecser and Somlovasarhely, in southwestern Hungary, and set up makeshift camps in schools and local community centers.
In addition to the dead, who appeared to have drowned, five people were missing, and a total of 7,000 residents were affected by the spill. About 60 people were hospitalized...
*GOOGLE EARTH PLACEMARK*
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