Radioactive wastewater leak prompts evacuation in Florida
4 Apr, 2021 05:24 AM
4 minutes to read
This aerial photo taken from an airplane shows a reservoir near the old Piney Point phosphate mine. Photo / AP
This aerial photo taken from an airplane shows a reservoir near the old Piney Point phosphate mine. Photo / AP
AP
By: Adriana Gomez Licon
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Saturday after a significant leak at a large pond of wastewater threatened to flood roads and burst a system that stores polluted waters.
Officials in Florida ordered more than 300 homes to be evacuated and closed off a highway near the large reservoir in the Tampa Bay area north of Bradenton.
Florida works to avoid catastrophic pond collapse
by Chris O Meara And Adriana Gomez Licon, The Associated Press
Posted Apr 4, 2021 2:43 pm EDT
Last Updated Apr 4, 2021 at 2:44 pm EDT
Acting Manatee County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes speaks during a news conference Sunday, April 4, 2021, at the Manatee County Emergency Management office in Palmetto, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday after a leak at a large pond of wastewater threatened to flood roads and burst a system that stores polluted water. (AP Photo/Chris O Meara)
PALMETTO, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that crews are working to prevent the collapse of a large wastewater pond in the Tampa Bay area while evacuating the area to avoid a “catastrophic flood.”
Governor Ron DeSantis Provides Update on Piney Point; Meets with DEP and FDEM Leadership, Local Officials and Emergency Response Teams On April 4, 2021, in News Releases, by Staff
Palmetto, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis traveled to Manatee County to meet with state and local officials as Florida continues to mitigate the potential risk of uncontrolled discharges from Piney Point. The Governor has issued a State of Emergency in Manatee County to ensure proper resources are available for response and recovery. Governor DeSantis’ press conference from Manatee County can be viewed
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Noah Valenstein and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director (FDEM) Jared Moskowitz are onsite at the Manatee County Emergency Operations Center.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared an emergency Saturday, as Manatee County officials say the latest models show that a breach at the old phosphate plant reservoir in the Tampa Bay area could gush out 340 million gallons of water in a matter of minutes, risking a 20-feet high wall of water.
DeSantis, Manatee officials spell out plan to prevent total collapse at Piney Point tampabay.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tampabay.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.