Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced a state of emergency after the toxic wastewater leak discovered in Tampa Bay.
DeSantis said that the emergency decree was issued to ensure that needed resources for response and recovery are given.
More than 300 residents in Manatee County, Florida, were ordered to evacuate their homes over the weekend. Officials are fearing that the reservoir could give in any time, according to a CBS News report. A portion of the containment wall at the leak site shifted laterally, signifying that structural collapse could occur at any time, Manatee Director of Public Safety Jake Saur was quoted in a report.
500 million gallons of toxic water could swamp Tampa-area county Joseph Wilkinson
Almost 500 million gallons of toxic water could swamp a west Florida county, and authorities said Saturday the collapse of a flimsy wall holding it back was “imminent.”
An estimated 316 households in a lightly populated area of Manatee County, across Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, have been ordered to evacuate, local ABC affiliate WFTS reported. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency.
The 480 million gallons of polluted water sit atop giant piles of mining waste known as gypsum stacks, according to the Bradenton Herald. Walls are supposed to hold the water back, but one in the Piney Point area began leaking in late March.
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