Brazilian rescuers searched frantically for survivors on Friday after burst dams unleashed a torrent of toxic red sludge that killed at least 17 people and destroyed a village.
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More than a dozen people might be dead after a dam holding back waste water from an iron ore mine in Brazil’s Minas Gerais southeastern state burst, flooding nearby homes.
A statement issued by the Samarco mining company, which operates the Germano mine where the dams are located, said the cause for the break is still unknown.
“First and foremost our thoughts are with Samarco’s employees and contractors and their families, and then the local community of Bento Rodrigues which has been devastated by the flooding and we are deeply concerned for all their welfare”, he said.
Footage on the Globo news website showed mud flows engulfing dozens of homes. A local miners’ union said that between 15 and 16 people had died and 45 were missing, according to Globo. The structure that failed is what is known as a tailings dam, used to hold water and discarded minerals from the nearby iron-ore mine.
The Fire Department has not yet confirmed if there are trapped victims, but they informed that stranded people were rescued by a helicopter.
The village of Bento Rodrigues near the dam is 80 percent buried, the fire chief said.
It was near the Gualaxo do Norte river and there are fears of potential water contamination, officials said.
Fire-fighters said there had been two deaths and at least 30 people injured, but warned that the number of casualties is sure to mount.
A representative of Mariana’s mayor said Samarco officials assured them the mining company would pay for the damages, but did not provide details.
BHP’s Mackenzie said a full investigation would be required to establish the cause of the incident in Brazil, and the company would fully cooperate with local authorities.
MELBOURNE/BRASILIA – BHP Billiton said it had yet to fully assess the extent of damage and casualties from a massive mudslide at Brazil’s Samarco iron ore mine on Thursday night.
“As soon as the mud started to come down, the residents started helping and informing their neighbors and assisting those who had difficulties walking”, he said.
“So I survived, thank God, for not having stopped running, this saved my life”, he said. Samarco produces about 30 million tonnes per year of iron ore, just under 10 per cent of Brazil’s output.
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Samarco isn’t directly run by the global mining giants, but is operated as a separate company, with BHP and Vale as joint shareholders.
