This weekend, about a million cubic meters of toxic sludge from an aluminum plant in Hungary burst out of a holding dam into the nearby towns of Devecser, Kolontar, Ajka, and several others. Seven people were killed, 123 injured, and the sludge spilled into a tributary of the Danube, causing fears of widespread pollution.
Talking Points Memo has a slideshow of the devastation and cleanup (with photos via News.com). Many individuals are working on cleaning up the toxic sludge without proper protective equipment:
(ANGER/ZEPPELIN/SIPA/Newscom)
Flooding in Kolontar:
(DUDAS/SIPA/Newscom)
(n07/ZUMA Press/Newscom)
(BENEDIKOVIC/SME/ISIFA/SIPA/Newscom)
(DUDAS/SIPA/Newscom)
(Philippe de Poulpiquet/PHOTOPQR/LE PARISIEN/Newscom)
The police patrol to discourage looting:
(Philippe de Poulpiquet/PHOTOPQR/LE PARISIEN/Newscom)
