THE toxic red sludge that burst out of a Hungarian factory’s reservoir and inundated three villages reached the mighty Danube yesterday after wreaking havoc on smaller rivers and creeks, an emergency official said.

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

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.