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# Toxic Sludge
Hungary races to build emergency dam
Authorities fear the toxic sludge reservoir could completely collapse and send a second poisonous flood into the nearby villages and rivers.
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Oct 11th 2010, 12:27 PM

HUNGARIAN AUTHORITIES ARE  making provisions to evacuate 3,000 people amidst warnings that a Ajka aluminium plant could collapse at any time, causing a second wave of poisonous flooding.
Efforts to build an emergency dam by Tuesday to hold back the threatened second spill are continuing.
Signs of new damage spotted on the dam of the reservoir sparked an evacuation of the entire village of Kolontar yesterday.

So far then the scale of the damage caused by the toxic flood is immense: at least seven people have been killed, 123 are injured and widespread pollution of nearby waterways has occurred.

Despite the alkalinity level of the Danube being maintained, concerns remain that long-term effects could still be seen. If large fish ingest any heavy metals carried in the waterway, for example, this would be potentially hazardous for people who then consume them.

Residents of the 800-strong villages of Kolontar have been told that they will probably never be able to return home because of the scale of the damage caused by the poisonous waste.

Hungary races to build emergency dam
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  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

  • The aftermath of the toxic flood

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Author
Jennifer Wade
jen@thejournal.ie
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