Brazilian Mine Disaster Juxtapose

On 5 November 2015, two dams collapsed at an iron ore mine in southeastern Brazil. News outlets estimated that approximately 62 million cubic metres (81 million cubic yards) of toxic waste water (similar to the red mud on previous page) was unleashed. As seen in this Juxtapose, the immediate release of sludge wiped out the village of Bento Rodrigues, resulting in the death of 17 people. Because of this pollution, more than half a million people did not have access to clean drinking water or water to irrigate crops for an extended period of time. Furthermore, within two weeks of the dam rupture, the contaminated waters had spread across a 644-kilometre (400-mile) stretch of the Doce River and entered into the Atlantic Ocean, killing significant amounts of plant and animal life along the way. Officials are concerned that the toxins will continue to threaten the Comboios Nature Reserve, a protected area for the endangered leatherback turtle.

-20.237096°, -43.421697°

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