Hungary: Toxic red sludge has reached the Danube

(october 7, 2010)

The toxic red sludge that burst out of a Hungarian factory's reservoir reached the mighty Danube on Thursday after wreaking havoc on smaller rivers and creeks, and downstream nations rushed to test their waters.

The European Union and environmental officials fear an environmental catastrophe affecting half a dozen nations if the red sludge, a waste product of making aluminum, contaminates the Danube, Europe's second-longest river.

Countries bordering the Danube have reinforced water quality controls and are monitoring the concentration of heavy metals. Officials from Croatia, Serbia and Romania were taking river samples every few hours Thursday but hoping that the Danube's huge water volume would blunt the impact of the spill.

Scores of people have already suffered burns in affected areas, with at least 120 receiving treatment. If you get it in your eyes it is also not good news.

Experts say the effects are only more serious if the substance is ingested, when it can cause damage to lungs and the digestive system, and could prove fatal in some cases.

By this way, people travelling in Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria are strongly advised to avoid Danube area and exercise a high degree of caution if they must travel in those areas.