Dam collapse creates environmental disaster in Brazil

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On November 5, 2015, two dams holding millions of cubic meters of mining waste gave way – launching one of the worst environmental disasters in Brazilian history. Mud – full of dangerous metals – quickly overtook the nearby mining community of Mariana in Minas Gerais state. At least seventeen people were killed. Hundreds more have been displaced by the wall of sludge released in the dam collapse.

Music: Echoes of Time by Kevin MacLeod

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About the Author: Greenpeace International

26 Comments

  1. 2019 AGAIN ! La causa sigue siendo desconocida? Estás bromeando ? Es lo mismo que en 1972 Buffalo Creek, Dam Collapse (Virginia Occidental) @The Buffalo Creek flood fue un desastre que ocurrió el 26 de febrero de 1972, cuando la represa # 3 del depósito de lodos de carbón de Pittston Coal Company, ubicada en una ladera en el condado de Logan, Virginia Occidental, estalló, cuatro días después de haber sido declarado "satisfactorio" por un inspector federal de minas. [1] No existe tal cosa como una presa de tierra, siempre cede si llueve y está mal construida. Por eso los construyen junto a los ríos, a las empresas no les importa.

  2. This is exactly what mining companies do. They are famous for more destruction than any natural disasters. They just care about the bottom line and making money. They don't give a shit about anything else. They need to be stopped before they destroy the rest of the planet.

  3. Greenpeace says it will press for justice?
    What is justice?
    A fine?
    Monetary compensation?
    Prison sentence?
    Maybe it is someone to clean up the mess?
    Or is it all of the above?

  4. so that's nice and all that youre going to expose whats in the mud to a country that doesn't care..  what are you doing to actually help the people impacted?

  5. a structure containing such a large amount of toxic chemicals should be built with various redundancies, just like a nuclear power plant. the people in charge of maintaining the dam should be held fully accountable for this unacceptable disaster.

  6. Translating rafael leite's comment:
    "The impact was significant in the whole region. Unfortunately it could get even worse, as another two Samarco dams are at risk of collapsing. Today the mud running through Doce river has reached another state, Espirito Santo, causing a lot of problems to towns and villages on the way, as the river becomes unsafe for consumption (water/fishing/etc)."

    May I add: Espirito Santo state is on the coast. Doce river flows right into the ocean. The contaminated mud will eventually reach the sea, damaging thousands of km on the Brazilian coast, killing animals, plants, tourism and businesses. This is major. And I have heard from local sources that the critical dams contain an infinitely larger volume of mud. Can you imagine the catastrophe.

  7. O impacto foi muito grande em toda região! infelizmente pode piorar ainda mais, pois duas represas, também da Samarco, podem se romper . Hoje mesmo a lama que corre pelo rio Doce alcançou outro estado, o Espírito Santo, prejudicando as cidades por onde passa, uma vez que o rio torna-se impróprio para o consumo.

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