PRAGUE, Czech Republic, August 15, 2002 - Floods have inundated two dioxin contaminated buildings at the Spolana chemical factory outside Prague, creating the potential for hazardous chemicals to wash into the Elbe River, a Greenpeace observation team said today. Ninety percent of the company sites are under water and the mercury contaminated area has been flooded since yesterday.
This afternoon a chlorine cloud at the factory forced local residents to seek safety indoors. The Greenpeace team had earlier observed smoke coming from the the factory site. Overnight a small explosion occurred inside the factory.
The Vltava River burst its banks Tuesday after days of torrential rains. Water engulfed the city of Prague, flooding the historic city center.
This afternoon a chlorine cloud at the factory forced local residents to seek safety indoors. The Greenpeace team had earlier observed smoke coming from the the factory site. Overnight a small explosion occurred inside the factory.
The Vltava River burst its banks Tuesday after days of torrential rains. Water engulfed the city of Prague, flooding the historic city center.
Some 200,000 people have been evacuated in the Czech Republic, and across Central Europe the rains continue and the rivers run high.
The current flooding threatens to poison the Elbe River not only with dioxins and the mercury from vinyl chloride production, but also with other toxic substances from the Spolana facility such as DDT, endrin, diendrin, lindane, benzene and heptachlor, the environmental watchdog group warns.
The current flooding threatens to poison the Elbe River not only with dioxins and the mercury from vinyl chloride production, but also with other toxic substances from the Spolana facility such as DDT, endrin, diendrin, lindane, benzene and heptachlor, the environmental watchdog group warns.