Disaster management officials said Kolontar, the Hungarian town next to the red sludge reservoir which flooded the area, is being evacuated due to fears of a new leak of toxic waste.

Officials in Hungary have said the size of the toxic sludge disaster is almost as big as that of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Five people are now reported to have died as a result of Hungary's toxic sludge spill.

Tests are being carried out along on the River Danube as toxic red sludge from Hungary makes its way downstream.

The toxic red sludge overflow from a Hungarian factory which destroyed three villages today reached the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river.

Toxic sludge released from a Hungarian metals factory reservoir earlier this week reached the Danube today.

Hungary’s prime minister visited one of the villages inundated by red sludge and declared the worst-hit area a write-off today.

Emergency workers and construction crews in Hungary were today struggling to clear roads and homes hit by a spill of toxic red sludge.