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Damage limitation in Velbert: 200 million liters of liquid manure ran out of this tank
Photo: Christoph Reichwein / dpa
Around two million liters of liquid manure leaked from a defective tank at a farm in Velbert (North Rhine-Westphalia).
A large part of it flowed into the Hardenberger Bach and then further via the Deilbach to the Baldeneysee in Essen, said the spokeswoman for the Mettmann district, DanielaWärmemann, of the German press agency on request.
So far, eight dead fish have been discovered.
The authorities did not rule out further cases, but according toWärmemann, there were no further finds by the evening.
The city of Mettmann has triggered an environmental alarm.
The smell of the liquid manure was noticed until after Essen.
Probably no impact on drinking water
The accident happened on Monday evening.
"The wave is through now," said district spokeswomanWärmemann in the afternoon.
According to the first findings, the liquid manure discharge should not have had any effect on the drinking water.
Although there are wells along the flow path, they are so deep that they are not affected.
The cause is said to have been a defective seal on the liquid manure tank, which holds 2,000 cubic meters.
The affected farmer was able to collect some of the liquid manure in containers in the evening, saidWärmemann.
The Düsseldorf district government and the Rheinisch-Bergischer Wasserverband were informed.
Experts examined the damage since morning.
In the upper area of the affected route there are liquid manure deposits that would be sucked off, said the spokeswoman.
However, since the streams are currently carrying a lot of water, most of the liquid manure continued to flow.
czl/dpa