An aerial view of rescue team members crossing a pontoon-bridge replacing the original bridge washed away by a sludge flood Kolontar, 167 kms southwest of Budapest, Hungary. Photo by EPA/BGNES
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has announced it was "very likely" that the wall of the reservoir of the alumina plant would collapse, releasing a new wave of the red toxic sludge.
"It is in very bad shape and our estimation is that the wall could fall down. It is very likely that it will happen. One consequence is that human lives could be in danger," Orban said, as cited by the BBC.
On Monday, about 700,000 cu m of chemical sludge escaped from the Ajkal Timfoldgyar plant, when a reservoir of the alumina plant broke and flooded some villages with toxic red mud.
Obran has stated that another 500,000 cu m of waste could escape if the reservoir wall collapses.
On Saturday, about 800 residents of the village of Kolontar, which is the closest village to the reservoir, were evacuated.
Police have been also advising residents of neighboring villages to pack a single suitcase in case they need to leave quickly.
At least seven people, including two children, have died in the accident. About 150 others have been injured by the sludge, which is said to contain caustic material and to be toxic if ingested.
The spill has reached the Marcal River, which flows into the River Raba, which empties into the Danube River.
All life in the Marcal River is said to have been extinguished. Although the sludge reached the Danube River on Thursday, Hungarian officials have claimed that the pH level in the river was normal and there were no dangers of pollution.