Hungary sludge reservoir has no widening cracks – Officials

Officials say there has been no widening of the cracks on a red sludge reservoir that broke last week flooding several towns in western Hungary and killing at least seven people.

The National Disaster Management Directorate said Monday that measurements taken in the past 24 hours showed no further movement of cracks on the northern wall, which experts expect to fall.

At the same time, health authorities are warning the local population, as well as cleanup and construction crews, that the amount of red sludge dust in the air exceeds safe limits and say they should use protective gear.

Parts of Kolontar, the town closest to the metals plant’s storage pool 10 hectares (24.7 acres) in size, have become uninhabitable and more than 700 residents have been evacuated.
Source: AP