By Marton Dunai Marton Dunai – Tue Oct 5, 1:10 pm ET
KOLONTAR, Hungary (Reuters) – Hungary declared a state of emergency in three counties on Tuesday, a day after a torrent of toxic red sludge from an alumina plant tore through nearby villages, killing four people and injuring 120.
The waste, produced during bauxite refining, poured through Kolontar and two other villages on Monday after bursting out of a containment reservoir at the Ajkai Timfoldgyar Zrt plant, owned by MAL Zrt.
On Tuesday, the Natural Disaster Unit (NDU) said four more villages were affected and put the death toll at four. Six people were missing.
Others suffered from burns and eye irritations caused by lead and other corrosive elements in the mud. The flood, estimated at about 700,000 cubic meters (24 million cubic feet), swept cars off roads and damaged bridges and houses, forcing the evacuation of about 400 residents.
"We have declared a state of emergency in Veszprem, Gyor-Moson-Sopron and Vas counties," government spokeswoman Anna Nagy said. "In Veszprem county, it's because that is the scene of the disaster and the sludge is headed toward the other two counties."read more...
