The toxic flood reached 2 meters in height in some places, causing immense destruction as it hit nearby Kolontár, Devecser and Somlóvásárhely. The torrent covered gardens, cars, it flooded homes and it basically wiped out all forms of life in the Marcal river. Those who came in contact with the red sludge suffered chemical burns and other injuries. Two people are in critical condition, six others suffered serious injuries. Most of the victims were treated at the Ajka hospital, but those with the most serious injuries where transported via helicopter to hospitals in Győr city and the capital, Budapest.

The National Disaster Protection Agency (NDPA) dispatched 500 rescue workers with an additional 100 members of the Hungarian Army equipped with chemical protection gear to begin cleanup and rescue operations. Jenő Lasztovicza, chairman of the Hungarian government’s defence committee said earlier, that the main goal is to relieve the situation and to allow the people to return to their homes as soon as possible. The government provides immediate financial aid for the rescue efforts, while the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) began investigating if there was any human error that contributed to the disaster.

Zoltán Illés State Secretary for Environmental Affairs suspended the operating permit of Magyar Alumíniumtermelő és Kereskedelmi Zrt., the company that owns the reservoir that flooded the villages. Officials of the company have said that heavy amounts of rain during the summer have weakened the walls of the reservoir, that lead to the breach.

In pictures: toxic sludge flood in Hungary

Stiller Ákos

The NDPA rescue workers have poured large amounts of plaster into the affected Marcal river to alleviate the alkaline properties of the red mud, however, Tibor Dobson, spokesman of the NDPA said all life in the river was wiped out by pH levels of the extremely toxic sludge reaching 12. The spokesperson said, in order to save the Rába and Danube rivers, the pH of the sludge has to be decreased to at least 9.

Viktor Orbán, Hungarian prime minister visited the disaster area visited the area on Wednesday. The politician was quoted saying: „restoration work is futile, the area is no longer suited for living.”