- Title: ROMANIA: Danube River tested for toxins after Hungary toxic sludge spill
- Date: 10th October 2010
- Summary: BAZIAS, ROMANIA (OCTOBER 9, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BOAT ON RIVER BOAT APPROACHING JETTY MAN TAKING BOXES FROM LAND ONTO JETTY VARIOUS OF WOMAN TESTING WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Romanian) DIRECTOR OF MEHEDINTI COUNTY IN THE ROMANIAN NATIONAL WATERS ADMINISTRATION, ADRIAN DRAGHICI SAYING: "We are at Bazias, the point where the Danube enters Romania. At this moment, the PH
- Embargoed: 25th October 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Romania
- Country: Romania
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVA4LFK3ERDYYRXM0BO2FNUDZVIE
- Story Text: The Romanian authorities have started testing local waterways for toxins following the red sludge spill in neighbouring Hungary.
Romania began testing the Danube river for toxins on Saturday (October 9) following the red sludge spill in Hungary.
A crew from the Romanian Waters Laboratory collected samples to check the PH level of the water at the point where the river enters Romania.
Adrian Draghici, the director of the Mehedinti county for the Romanian National Waters Administration said there didn't appear to be any toxins in the water at present.
"We are at Bazias, the point where the Danube enters Romania. At this moment, the PH level is normal. We have also taken samples for more complex analysis in the Romanian Waters laboratory," he said.
The toxic sludge which burst out of a Hungarian alumina plant last Monday, reached the Danube on Thursday. Experts said damage beyond the borders of Hungary was unlikely to be great but the threat had to be monitored closely.
Draghici said the toxic sludge had already reached neighbouring Serbia and appeared to be heading towards Romania.
"Apparently the pollution wave has entered Serbia. It is likely that in three or four days, or a of maximum five days, it will come here. So, starting on Monday or Thursday, we will pay more attention. Starting tomorrow at 12 o'clock we will take samples for analysis every four hours."
The Romanian town of Drobeta Turnu Severin is the only town in Mehedinti county which takes water from the Danube. If the water became polluted, around 100,000 people would be affected.
Downstream from the disaster site in Hungary, the Danube flows through or skirts Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Moldovan and Ukrainian territory en route to the Black Sea. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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