Red Sludge Alumina Factory Reservoir Pollutes Villages, Hungary

Six people are missing and another eight are in critical condition in hospital, suffering from chemical burns. The sludge is a mixture water and mining waste containing heavy metals and is considered highly dangerous. In some places the torrent, which swept cars f roads and damaged bridges, was eight feet deep. It is estimated that 38.8 million cubic feet (the equivalent 440 Olympic-size swimming pools) red, poisonous sludge has affected some 15 square miles.
Hundreds residents have been evacuated and a state emergency has been declared in three western counties. As the clean-up operation began fears mounted that the highly poisonous sludge could have reached the River Danube.