The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Hungary : Red toxic emergency..[ 1836 ]

Red toxic sludge spill sparks Hungary emergency





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By Gergely Szakacs and Krisztina Than
BUDAPEST | Tue Oct 5, 2010 8:36am EDT
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary declared a state of emergency in three western counties on Tuesday, the day after a torrent of toxic red sludge from an alumina plant reservoir tore through local villages, killing four people and injuring 120.

The red mud, waste generated during bauxite refining, poured through Kolontar and two other villages on Monday after bursting out of a containment reservoir at the nearby Ajkai Timfoldgyar Zrt plant, owned by MAL Zrt.

On Tuesday the Natural Disaster Unit (NDU) said four more villages were affected and the death toll had risen to four. Six people were known to be missing.

Many others were suffering from burns and eye irritation caused by the lead and other highly corrosive elements. The flood, estimated at about 700,000 cubic meters, threw cars off roads and damaged bridges and homes, forcing the evacuation of about 400 residents.

"We have declared a state of emergency in Veszprem, Gyor-Moson-Sopron and Vas counties," government spokeswoman Anna Nagy told Reuters.

"In Veszprem county it's because that is the scene of the disaster and the sludge is headed toward the other two counties."

The National Disaster Unit (NDU) said clean-up crews were pouring plaster into a nearby river to help neutralize the spill and that attempts were being made to prevent the sludge getting into the Danube river, a major European waterway.

MAL Zrt said in a statement on Tuesday there had been no sign of the impending disaster, adding the last examination of the reservoir pond on Monday had shown nothing untoward.

MAL also said the red sludge did not qualify as hazardous waste according to European Union standards and added that 96-98 percent of the sludge had remained in the reservoir.

CAUSTIC EFFECT

The NDU defined the red mud on its website as:

"A by-product of alumina production. The thick, highly alkaline substance has a caustic effect on the skin. The sludge contains heavy metals, such as lead, and is slightly radioactive. Inhaling its dust can cause lung cancer."

It recommended people clean off the sludge immediately with lots of water to neutralize the substance.

The National Health Authority said, based on sludge samples, there was no acute health risk from radiation.

Overnight, teams dressed in a specialist protective clothing and masks hosed down streets to wash away the red slurry.
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