The red sludge that spilled in huge quantities from a collapsed waste pond has now spread to the sea via streams and might cause environmental damage in Binh Thuan province.

>> Red mud breaks loose, sweeps away bikes in Binh Thuan

Previously, at about 8am on November 18, thousands of tons of red sludge broke loose, affecting an area within a 1km radius after a pond holding red mud from titanium extraction suddenly burst.

The 1,200m2 waste pond is managed by Binh Thuan Commercial and Mining Investment Joint-Stock Company in Thuan Quy commune, Ham Thuan Nam district, some 200km away from Ho Chi Minh City. 

Since the pond is on higher ground on the mountain, the spill was forceful and caused some damage.

Eyewitnesses said three motorcycles were swept away. A female motorist fell off her bike due to a torrent of mud but she was unharmed. The red mud also swept away many metal items and caused an electric pole to fall down.

The knee-deep sludge also caused long traffic delays to some 100 motorcycles and automobiles.

The red liquid flowed onto nearby streets and caused traffic congestion as many vehicle users were too afraid to cross the muddy waters. It flooded a major road connecting Phan Thiet and Ke Ga tourist attraction besides turning part of seawaters in Thuan Qui commune - known to tourists as a place of clean and beautiful beaches - into red.

The street at the front gate of the company is covered in red mud and it could take many days to clean up the mess. The company is working around the clock to fix the sludge reservoir.  

“How can fish survive?” 

The red mud not only inundated nearby pinewoods and under-construction resorts located in an area between Ham Thuan Nam district and Phan Thiet city, but it also affected some fishing ponds owned by local people.

“Since the company moved here, water in my house has turned polluted and unusable. All fish in my three fishing ponds died. Now, the waters in the pond turn red so how can fish survive?” – Nguyen Lap Chi, a 72-year-old local resident, lamented.

Chi added he does not know how the red mud affected his home because the company is 1km far away. An under-construction resort next to his home is also filled with red mud.

To Tai Tich, the mining company’s director, responded to Tuoi Tre by phone on Monday that the sludge is “good for trees” but some experts say it seriously pollutes the surrounding environment.

A local expert said the red sludge poses a large ecological threat to surrounding environment.

“It is not easy to clean up the mud. If you rake the ground to collect it, there is not enough room to hold it. If you use water to wash it off, it could pollute the water” – he said. 

However, Tran Ngoc Thai, deputy head of Institute of Geological Sciences and Mining, said the titanium mining waste has little influence on human health.