Flood of toxic sludge swamps Hungarian towns

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Hundreds of people were evacuated after the disaster Monday, when a gigantic sludge reservoir burst its banks at metals plant in Ajka, a town 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Budapest, the capital. The torrent inundated homes, swept cars off roads and damaged bridges, disgorging an estimated 1 million cubic meters (35.3 million cubic feet) of toxic waste onto several nearby towns.

An aerial view of the red mud covered streets and rescue workers engaged in cleaning operation with two excavators in Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, taken on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, after a dike of a reservoir containing red mud of an alumina factory in nearby Ajka broke, and over one million cubic meters of the poisonous chemical sludge inundated three villages.

A local resident is helped by firefighters onto the shovel of an excavator in Devecser, 164 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary Monday Oct. 4, 2010.

A firefighter wades through the mud in Devecser, 164 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, after a reservoir containing red mud of the alumina factory in nearby Ajka broke, and the poisonous chemical sludge inundated some 400 family houses in Devecser, killing one person and injuring several dozens, Monday, Oct. 4, 2010. Three people are missing.

An aerial photo taken Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010 shows the ruptured wall of a red sludge reservoir of the Ajkai Timfoldgyar plant in Kolontar, 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Budapest, Hungary. The government declared a state of emergency in three counties affected by the flooding.

A man retrieves belongings from his home flooded by toxic mud in the Kolontar, Hungary, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010.

Aluminium workers leave the Ajkai Timfoldgyar plant after the Hungarian authorities suspended its licence in the town of Ajka, Hungary, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010.

People carry salvaged belongings from their homes flooded by toxic mud in the Kolontar, Hungary, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010.

A villager checks his yard flooded by toxic mud in the Kolontar, Hungary, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010. The flood of toxic mud killed a yet unknown number of people, injured more than one hundred, with some people still missing.

A man sits on the roof of his house waiting to be rescued in Devecser, 164 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, Monday Oct. 4, 2010.

An aerial view of a car in a flooded area covered with red mud, in Devecser, 164 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, after a dike of a reservoir containing red mud of an alumina factory in nearby Ajka broke, and over one million cubic meters of the poisonous chemical sludge inundated three villages.

Balazs Holczer stands on the porch of his house flooded by toxic mud in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. Emergency workers and construction crews on Wednesday swept through the Hungarian towns hardest hit by a flood of toxic sludge, trying to clear roads and homes of acres (hectares) of deep red mud and caustic water.

Hungarian police officer, wearing a protective mask, stands in front of a home destroyed by the flood of toxic mud in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. Emergency workers and construction crews on Wednesday swept through the Hungarian towns hardest hit by a flood of toxic sludge, trying to clear roads and homes of acres (hectares) of deep red mud and caustic water.

Jozsef Holczer reacts in his yard flooded by toxic mud in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.

A family picture is covered by toxic mud in a destroyed home in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010. Hundreds of people were evacuated after the disaster Monday, when a gigantic sludge reservoir burst its banks at metals plant in Ajka, a town 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Budapest, the capital.

A villager is reflected in a flood of toxic mud, while walking through his backyard in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.

Hungarian police officers, wearing protective masks walk in a village street covered by toxic mud in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.

People salvage their belongings from a house flooded by toxic red mud in Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.Hundreds of people were evacuated after the disaster.

People salvage their belongings from a house flooded by toxic red mud in Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.

A villager passes by a dead dog killed in a flood of toxic mud in Kolontar, Hungary, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2010.

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An aerial view of the red mud covered streets and rescue workers engaged in cleaning operation with two excavators in Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary, taken on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010, after a dike of a reservoir containing red mud of an alumina factory in nearby Ajka broke, and over one million cubic meters of the poisonous chemical sludge inundated three villages.

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