Red sludge: Environmental disaster in Hungary

On October 4th 2010, the pond dam of an alumina plant to the west of Hungary suddenly broke and flooded many towns in toxic red sludge. 600,000 - 700,000 m3 of sludge was estimated to have affected seven resident areas near Ajkai Timfoldgyar plant in Ajka, 160 km southwest of the capital Budapest. Two people died while seven were missing and hundreds of people were injured. In Devecser, 400 houses were flooded and 40 people had to evacuate to Somlovasarhely. In Kolontar, the mud level rose up to 2 meters. According to the National Disaster Management Directorate, the sludge or waste of aluminum production consists of heavy metals, which makes people toxic if ingested.

About 120 people in which six people were seriously injured were treated by medical staff. Most of them suffered from burns on the skin and eyes. As the disaster agency in Hungary reported, 390 residents were relocated and 110 people were rescued from flooded towns. Many rescue efforts have been made to help residents get over the disaster. Forty soldiers along with army vehicles joined in the rescue services. The cause of the incident has been investigated.

In Devecser, about 400 houses are flooded in red sludge, and 40 people have been rescued

Due to breaking of the dam, the sludge escaped from the toxic pond

The reservoir of an alumina plant in western Hungary has broken, which flooded Devecser and Kolontar with red sludge

Firemen evacuate residents from the flooded villages

A woman is helped by a firefighter onto the shovel of an excavator

Over 100 people were injured, mainly by burns on the skin and eyes

A man sitting on the roof waits for the rescue services

Local residents in Devecser are rescued from the red sludge by excavators.

A dead cat is covered with toxic red mud

A woman is standing at the door of her house surrounded by mud in Devecser

A firefighter is wading through the mud which is reported to reach a height of two meters

A men is clearing his flooded home in the village of Kolontar

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