Brussels, 20/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to lend some €63 million to finance emergency, reconstruction and preventive measures following two major disasters that hit Hungary in 2010: river floods and the breaking of a dam holding contaminated water with aluminium production residue.
In flood recovery and prevention, the EIB loan will finance measures for restoring the previous protection level, with reconstruction and replacement of flood defence infrastructure and buildings, flood risk mitigation rehabilitation, and the repair and construction of dykes, emergency and storm water reservoirs, etc.
With regard to the damaged red sludge dam, the project will support measures limiting the impacts of the red sludge in affected areas. These measures comprise in particular the prevention of further red sludge spills, reconstruction and replacement of public infrastructure, including a bridge and railway tracks, demolition of 306 houses, reconstruction of 53 houses and construction of 111 new houses. Further activities include remediation, excavation and transport for final disposal of sludge and contaminated soil. (OL/transl.rt)