A dam holding residue from an iron ore mine has burst in Brazil, flooding the surrounding area and possibly killing at least one person.
Rescuers are now attempting to find possible survivors of the accident in Minas Gerais State, with Brazilian news outlets reporting at least one death and union officials saying the number of casualties could be as high as 15, the New York Times reports. Photographs of the damage showed mud surrounding homes and cars in hard hit neighborhoods. It is unclear what caused the dam to burst, but a prosecutor in the state said investigators would use “rigor in determining what happened.”
Samarco, the mining company that manages the dam, said it would work to help victims and protect against environmental damage—though one official in the National Department of Minerals Production said the flooding was not made up of chemical waste, but of rocks and iron ore.
[NYT]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com