Share

Brazil institute: Potential health crisis from dam breach

Share

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s leading research institute warned Tuesday of a potential health crisis from the failure of a dam in Minas Gerais state, which unleased a flood of muddy mining waste that killed at least 134 people.

Fiocruz said the contamination of the ecosystem and the nearby Paraopeba River could precipitate the spread of dengue, yellow fever or diarrhea in communities around Brumadinho, the city where the mining reservoir breached Jan. 25.

Tests of the contaminated mud and water from the river are underway, but environmental experts said they expect to find toxic concentrations of iron oxide and other heavy metals.

Over the longer term, Fiocruz said, the isolation of rural communities, stress and trauma from the loss of a family member or job and drastic changes in the quality of life also have a significant impact on people’s health.

Researchers noted a higher incidence of high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, strokes and even cancers in the months and years following similar accidents.

Trending:
Federal Judge Has Bad News for Hunter Biden, Says There's Zero Evidence His Charges Are Politically Motivated

Fiocruz, linked to the Ministry of Health, largely based its assessments on studies carried out in the aftermath of a mining dam collapse in November 2015, also in Minas Gerais.

The collapse of the larger reservoir killed 19 people and left 250,000 people without drinking water. It had been considered Brazil’s worst environmental disaster, but experts argued Tuesday that Brumadinho had surpassed it.

“This is the biggest mining dam disaster in Brazil and one of the greatest in the world”, said Mariano Andrade da Silva, a researcher at the National School of Public Health linked to Fiocruz.

In Brumadinho, the breach of the reservoir unleashed about 12 million cubic meters of reddish-brown mud, threatening to contaminate 48 municipalities and affecting up to 1.3 million residents.

Authorities are still looking for 199 missing people, but no one has been found alive since Jan. 26.

About 3,000 people live in rural areas hit by the spill, many of which are cut off from the center of Brumadinho because roads remain blocked by the mud. Fiocruz experts said past experiences indicate that remote communities are particularly vulnerable to the spread of diseases and worsening of health conditions.

The institute is also monitoring the movement of the mud as it descends the Paraopeba River toward the much larger Sao Francisco River.

Experts say they don’t know yet if two hydroelectric power plants on the Paraoepeba will block the waste and prevent the contamination of the Sao Francisco River. Fiocruz said millions of people in more than 500 municipalities depend on the water of the Sao Francisco for personal use or irrigation.

The slow-moving, thick mud was initially expected to reach the first dam between Feb. 5 and Feb. 10.

Related:
Former MSNBC Host Chuck Todd Furious After Network Hires Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel

Finally, Fiocruz drew attention to the fact that Brazil’s publicly funded health care system is covering most of the costs related to the disaster. Beyond health issues, the national health system also picked up the tab for helicopters, firefighters and other search-and-rescue efforts.

“The public system is the one paying, dealing with the damage, while the private sector is getting the profit”, Fiocruz researcher Diego Xavier said.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation