✕
News

Brazil Dam Collapse: 40 Dead, Nearly 300 Missing!!

by Bean,

Death Toll Reaches 40 And Nearly 300 Went Missing When A Dam Collapsed In Brazil   

  • 40 people dead, 300 missing due to dam burst at an iron ore mine.
  • Helicopters and firefighters deployed to save people.
  • The waste caused about 150 meters of destruction which damaged several structures and surrounding areas.
  • Missing people are mostly from the company's worker.
  • Vale CEO phrased this incident as 'human tragedy'.
  • Company's 10 percent of the share fell from the New York Stock Exchange fell.

On Saturday, the Brazilian firefighters from the Minas Gerais fire department reported that at least 40 people were killed at the site where the dam burst at an iron ore mine owned by Vale SA, Belo Horizonte. More than three hundred people are still missing as per rescuers. 

CAPTION: Brazil Dam Collapse: 34 Dead, Nearly 300 Missing!! SOURCE: rte.ie

Around 100 firefighters were deployed with advanced machinery and tools to save the people. Dozens of rescue helicopters were provided which were used in the place where the land access was cut off.

The Governor of the states of Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema said, " Most likely, from now on we are mostly going to be recovering bodies.” President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro also stated the incident to be the first big emergency since his joining office and flew over the affected area on the incident day.

On Friday the dam released a torrent of reddish-brown mud leaving huge destruction of about 150 meters (500 foot ) and at least 40 dead and 300 missing. The mud knocked over and buried several structures and surrounding areas.

CAPTION: Brazil Dam Collapse: 34 Dead, Nearly 300 Missing!! SOURCE: Time

According to Vale CEO Fabio Schvartsman, the devastating accident is a 'human tragedy much larger than the tragedy of Mariana, but probably the environmental damage will be less.'. He said, "The principal victims were our own workers, the restaurant where many ate was buried by the mud at lunchtime."

Later he refreshed the news and said, 'Of the 427 workers who were on hand when the dam collapsed, 279 had been accounted.'   

This is not the only disaster caused by the Vale, In 2015, the mine flowed out waste called tailing. Tailing is often composed of the sand and is non-toxic according to Vale. But, a UN report found that the waste from the iron ore mine is a high level of toxic heavy metals.

Vale is the largest mining company of Brazil. Just two hours after the incident took place, the stock of the company fell about 10 per cent on the New York Stock Exchange.