Dam In Brazilian Municipality Of Barao De Cocais May Collapse At Any Moment - Reports

Dam in Brazilian Municipality of Barao de Cocais May Collapse at Any Moment - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2019) The highest level of threat was declared on Friday in the Brazilian municipality of Barao de Cocais, located in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, over a risk of a local dam collapse, local media reported.

According to the G1 media outlet, the increased level of threat means that the dam may collapse at any moment. Civil defense forces were sent to the municipality in order to evacuate people, who remain in a potential disaster zone, in case of such a need.

The mining giant Vale, which operates the dam, said that local residents had been evacuated from the area in February when warning sirens on the dam sounded for the first time.

"The need for such a precaution measure emerged after an independent auditor informed us about the dam's instability," the company said.

On January 25, a dam at Vale's Corrego do Feijao mine in the state's Brumadinho municipality collapsed, triggering heavy mud floods. The disaster left more than 200 people killed.