Toll in Brazil dam disaster rises to 157 dead, 182 missing
After nearly two weeks of searches
A rescue dog and firefighters search for bodies following the dam collapse at an iron-ore mine near the Brazilian town of Brumadinho, Minas Gerais state. PHOTO: AFP
SAO PAULO:
The toll from a dam collapse at a mine in southeast Brazil's Minas Gerais state has risen to 157 deaths after nearly two weeks of searches, with 182 missing, authorities said on Thursday.
Those listed as missing are presumed dead, but not yet located under the layers of muddy mining waste released when the tailings dam broke apart in the town of Brumadinho on January 25.
In recent days, rescue teams have battled rains which limited their ability to fly helicopters over the area.
Virtually all the dead and missing were workers at the iron ore mine, buried under an avalanche of sludgy mining waste when the dam collapsed above the facility's cafeteria and main administrative area.
The toll from a dam collapse at a mine in southeast Brazil's Minas Gerais state has risen to 157 deaths after nearly two weeks of searches, with 182 missing, authorities said on Thursday.
Those listed as missing are presumed dead, but not yet located under the layers of muddy mining waste released when the tailings dam broke apart in the town of Brumadinho on January 25.
In recent days, rescue teams have battled rains which limited their ability to fly helicopters over the area.
Virtually all the dead and missing were workers at the iron ore mine, buried under an avalanche of sludgy mining waste when the dam collapsed above the facility's cafeteria and main administrative area.