World

Toxic Hungarian sludge spill reaches River Danube

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-08 08:24

A rescue worker walks in toxic sludge in the flooded village of Kolontar, 150 km (93 miles) west of Budapest Oct 7, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

"Catastrophe"

"This is an unprecedented ecological catastrophe in Hungary. Human error is more than likely. The wall (of the reservoir) did not disintegrate in a minute. This should have been detected."

MAL Zrt, owner of the Ajkai Timfoldgyar alumina plant and the burst reservoir, said the last inspection of the reservoir on Monday had shown nothing wrong.

Disaster crews, military and local villagers were clearing away the rubble and searching for the three missing people.

Many people suffered burns and eye ailments caused by the caustic mud. The flood, estimated at about 700,000 cubic metres (24 million cubic feet), swept cars off roads and damaged bridges and houses.

MAL said it hoped to restart production at its alumina plant at the weekend with a new sludge containment pond.

Many people in Kolontar said they would not move back to their houses as they did not feel secure.

"I hung in the sludge for 45 minutes... It had a strong current that almost swept me away but I managed to hang on to a strong piece of wood from the pigsty," said Etelka Stump.

"But I could hardly breathe because that air, that smell, that froth really hit me. I know what it's like because I worked in the bauxite factory for 17 years."