American president Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency in Flint,Michigan due to water supplies being contaminated with led.

The city’s water was contaminated in 2014 when corrosive water leached lead from old pipes into the water supply. The emergency declaration will unlock $5 million in federal funding while earlier this week Governor Rick Snyder had requested $31m from the federal government. According to the Governor the needs of the 100,000 people in the city “far exceeds the state’s capability” and sought a disaster declaration.

Lead exposure can cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems in children.Residents had complained of discoloured water, bad smells and headaches and rashes from using the water from the city’s new supplier and later in October, testing revealed increased lead levels in water supplies and in children’s blood