The Hungarian prime minister has said the weakened northern wall of an aluminium sludge reservoir which caused a devastating toxic spill, is likely to collapse within hours.
Viktor Orban's comments on Saturday came as the village of Kolontar, which lies close to the deadly sludge spill in the country's west, was evacuated for fear of a new leak of the dangerous heavy metal waste.
"Last night the interior minister informed us that cracks have appeared on the northern wall of the reservoir, whose corner collapsed, which make it likely that the entire wall will collapse," Orban said in the western town of Ajka, the site of an alumina plant.
During his visit to the affected area, he also acknowledged that "human error" had caused the spill.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of Kolontar on Saturday morning at 7am local time after further damage was discovered at the reservoir that spilled toxic sludge on Monday, according to the national news agency, MTI.
Fears of new leak
Kolontar and Devecser were the towns hardest hit when up to 700,000 cubic metres of red sludge poured out of the reservoir at the alumina plant in Ajka.
Orban said about 500,000 cubic metres of red sludge could spill out of the reservoir, but this substance was thicker than the roughly one million cubic metres which swept through nearby villages this week, killing seven people and injuring around 150 others.
Reporting from Ajke on Saturday, said "authorities are measuring the density of the sludge, by dropping steel rods into the reservoir, in the hopes that it will give the disaster unit an idea of how much of this material is going to come pouring out".
On Saturday "all 800 residents of Kolontar were taken to a sports hall and two schools in Ajka, eight kilometres away, over fears of new leaks", she said.
"Officials insist that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure."
Many residents have suffered from burns and eye irritations caused by corrosive elements in the mud.
MAL Zrt, the company that owns the metals plant, said the waste was not considered hazardous under EU standards and recommended people clean off the sludge with water.
Tibor Dobson, the disaster unit chief, said no new waste has escaped from the huge container "so far".
Experts have been pouring large quantities of clay and acid into affected waterways in an effort to neutralise the alkaline pollutants.
Viktor Orban's comments on Saturday came as the village of Kolontar, which lies close to the deadly sludge spill in the country's west, was evacuated for fear of a new leak of the dangerous heavy metal waste.
"Last night the interior minister informed us that cracks have appeared on the northern wall of the reservoir, whose corner collapsed, which make it likely that the entire wall will collapse," Orban said in the western town of Ajka, the site of an alumina plant.
During his visit to the affected area, he also acknowledged that "human error" had caused the spill.
Authorities ordered the evacuation of Kolontar on Saturday morning at 7am local time after further damage was discovered at the reservoir that spilled toxic sludge on Monday, according to the national news agency, MTI.
Fears of new leak
Kolontar and Devecser were the towns hardest hit when up to 700,000 cubic metres of red sludge poured out of the reservoir at the alumina plant in Ajka.
Orban said about 500,000 cubic metres of red sludge could spill out of the reservoir, but this substance was thicker than the roughly one million cubic metres which swept through nearby villages this week, killing seven people and injuring around 150 others.
Reporting from Ajke on Saturday, said "authorities are measuring the density of the sludge, by dropping steel rods into the reservoir, in the hopes that it will give the disaster unit an idea of how much of this material is going to come pouring out".
On Saturday "all 800 residents of Kolontar were taken to a sports hall and two schools in Ajka, eight kilometres away, over fears of new leaks", she said.
"Officials insist that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure."
Many residents have suffered from burns and eye irritations caused by corrosive elements in the mud.
MAL Zrt, the company that owns the metals plant, said the waste was not considered hazardous under EU standards and recommended people clean off the sludge with water.
Tibor Dobson, the disaster unit chief, said no new waste has escaped from the huge container "so far".
Experts have been pouring large quantities of clay and acid into affected waterways in an effort to neutralise the alkaline pollutants.
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