Hungary: Toxic Spill - Oct 2010

In October 2010, a wall of toxic chemical sludge up to two metres deep in places swamped Kolontár and five other villages, causing the government to declare a state of emergency in three regions. Residents were forced to climb onto rooftops to escape the toxic tide as houses were inundated with mud. The estimated total affected area was between 800-1016 hectares and 8 persons were killed. (IFRC, 5 Oct 2010)

Rescue operations from ECHO involved 1166 civil protection staff and 186 vehicles. To prevent further similar situations, the EU outlined new strategies to develop scenarios for the main disaster risks and to promptly identify the assets needed if these risks materialize (ECHO, 26 Oct 2010)