On 13 October the members of the government arrived on location. Interior Minister Sándor Pintér is holding a press conference about the most recent decisions of the government and the present situation in Veszprém at 14:00 hours. In Kolontár the emergency dam has been completed, the last bit of work is being performed on it. Additional shifting has not been detected on the red sludge reservoir, but expert inspections are ongoing. The drinking water is safe. The floating dust concentration translates into increased irritation proportionate with the level of drying, but at present it has not reached the medical threshold; the use of protective masks and gear are recommended, however. Disaster relief efforts on agricultural land have begun, soil analysis is ongoing. Fifty injured people are still hospitalised, including two in critical condition.
Regarding the residents
Kolontár residents are still evacuated. Based on the decision of the Defence Committee of Veszprém County, the police continues to seal off Kolontár. 99 Kolontár residents have been provided communal accomodations, while 697 resolved their lodgings on their own. The food and shelter of the evacuees (meals, lodgings, medical care, psychological and social care) is ensured on a continuous basis.
In case of the potential evacuation of the residents of Devecser, the preparation and setting up of 18 intake stations in Győr-Moson-Sopron county is ongoing. Hungarian Railways (MÁV) is keeping a total of 5 trains on standby alert at the Devecser and Tüskevár stations, with locomotives and staff. The camping bunks requested for the rest of those who may be forced to evacuate (1100 pcs) are awaiting shipment at the Soroksári út facility. To welcome potential evacuees from Devecser, keep them notified of developments and escort them to the intake points, a 50 strong contingent is standing by at the Győr army base.
Regarding the condition of the red sludge reservoir
Compared to previous instrument assisted measurements the threatened section of the dam did not exhibit shifting, also confirmed by the measurements of the continuously present staff of the Veszélyhelyzeti Felderítő Csoport (Hazard Investigation Team) and of the geodesic experts.
In the afternoon two soil composition experts visited the dam and met the team of law enforcement experts and geologists. The EU experts received a brief summary from the team concerning the soil; they also offered to provide more maps and data for the team at their office in Veszprém. The experts analysed the measurements collected during the day.
Regarding the protective dam at Kolontár
The base dam has been completed with a length of 670 metres at an elevation of 2.5 metres. Under the professional supervision of the water management authority, the construction of the dam to direct flooding has continued. Earthworks have been built continuously on the defence lines to be constructed at Casette no. 10. Dam one and two have been completed in their entirety, only elevation efforts are being undertaken on dam three.
Cleaning
The removal and neutralisation of sludge from the areas between the access roads to the houses and the entrances and from the courtyards providing access is being continuously undertaken with gypsum and machinery.
The following resources and equipment participate in the project:
Transportation
Around the disaster site at a radius of 6 kms at an altitude of 5000 feet (1500 metres) airspace has been restricted until November 9, 2010.
The prescribed speed limit has been mandated to avoid the danger of slipping as a result of contamination getting on the pavement from the wheels of the heavy rescue machinery. The cleaning of the Devecser crossroads of route 8 is ongoing.
Máv Zrt. completed the demolition work of the contaminated Kolontár railroad track. At the affected section they have begun the construction of the substructure and the protective layer.
In Devecser, natural gas service to appr. 100 consumers in the streets Batthyányi, Móricz Zsigmond, Pápai and Árpád has not yet been restored, the cleanup of the rubble is impeding reconnections. E.ON Hungária Zrt. is continuing reconnections this week.
Regarding the injured and those who have been hospitalised
According to the most recent report at the 6 hospitals treating the injured currently 50 individuals are being treated. The treatment of disaster victims at the medical institutions is ensured on a continuous basis, the institutions did not indicate any bottlenecks or problems. In the event of an emergency situation, access capacity is available.
Regarding drinking water
The Hungarian National Public Health and Medical Officer Service (ANTSZ) is continuously inspecting drinking water quality. The supply of drinking water in the area is safe.
Regarding air
The floating dust translates into irritation directly proportionate to the level of drying, however the measurements show that the concentration of the floating dust still does not exceed the medical threshold level. To keep residents who are directly involved in the cleaning and disaster relief efforts and intervening forces informed and protected, the Operational Division of the Government Coordination Committee (KKB) issued a brochure in connection with the use of the filter mask.
Due to the health hazard in connection with the floating dust the continuous monitoring of air contamination levels has become necessary in the contaminated region. The Hungarian National Medical Officer Service (OTH) and the National Inspectorate for Environment, Nature and Water (OKTVF), developed a joint measurement programme to cover the eight affected settlements, coordinating measurement capacity. Pursuant to the Director General of the OKTVF, issued on October 12, six environmental protection agencies placed a total of 12 measurement devices at the 8 settlements affected by the air contamination. Additionally the Országos Környezetegészségügyi Intézet (National Environmental Health Institute) placed two measurement devices at two locations. The measurement station at Ajka, via its meteorological data, assists the work of the monitoring network with Hungarian Meteorological Service contaminant spread modelling results. The measurement data are sent to OTH for forwarding, where their evaluation form a medical perspective is performed.
Regarding the protection of the river water
At Boba, Tüskevár and the bridge at Szergény the addition of gypsum has been continuous, at the other injection points the addition of gypsum is halted until otherwise directed. Additional gypsum for defence efforts is available, 7 tons were used at each location per day. At the locations where gypsum is no longer added the stocks have been stored. The addition of acetic acid is still suspended.
Along the Marcal river the water level at the three cross dams upstream (Nemeskocs, Kemeneshőgyész, Marcaltő) has been reduced by 20 cms.
In light of the improving water quality situation, the experimental airborne addition of gypsum has been halted as of 1200 hours on October 12, 2010.
Water quality samples are being continuously received from the KÖVIZIG and KTVF labs, the results are being compiled within the central OMIT (National Technical Supervisory Division).
The pH value on the Marcal is between 8.29-8.83, on the Moson Danube and the Danube under 8.2, and in the Torna creek is in the range of 8.31-8.88. The water from the Torna creek left the country via the Danube, no deviations have been detected anywhere.
The monitoring of aquatic ecosystems and drinking water sources is ongoing. In the Danube bend according to the observations of the members of the environmental protection security force on October 12, the downstream flow of dead fish had essentially ceased, the behaviour of the local fish population normalised.
Agricultural Supervisory Operations
The assessment of tasks in connection with the disaster relief efforts of areas contaminated by red sludge has begun. The experts of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics are working on a flooding model where the volume, direction, dimensions and speed of a flood which may begin upon a potential dam rupture/collapse may be simulated. For the proper operation of the model the Ministry of Rural Development and the Institute of Geodesy, Cartography and Remote Sensing provided us with relief models. The data of additional dikes and dams is integrated into this model. Running the simulation with this data enables an estimate of the flood. Currently multiple expert teams are conducting soil analyses.
