Samarco is unclear about possibility of a new dam break

Posted on Thu, 03/12/2015 – 13:04

The greatest fear of the people in the city of Barra Longa is the possibility of disruption of the Germano dam, which may cause greater damage than the Fundão dam. Samarco’s representatives did not give a clear answer nor did they deny the possibility of this rupture.

By Joka Madruga

The negotiating table of the State of Minas Gerais met on Wednesday (02) at Barra Longa (MG), to hear the list of demands drawn up by the people affected organized in MAB in partnership with the Archdiocese of Mariana.

The greatest fear of the people in the city is the possibility of disruption of the Germano dam, which may cause greater damage than the Fundão dam. Several residents made direct questions about this possibility. However, representatives of Samarco, a company that belongs to the miners Vale and BHP Billiton, they did not answer nor did they deny the possibility of the dam rupture.

Daniele, civil engineer for over five years at Samarco and engaged in the monitoring team of the dams, said radars were installed on the walls of the dams to monitor if a problem occurs. “These radars indicate that the walls are stable,” said the engineer.

On the other hand, she did not convince those present at the assembly, as the population of Barra Longa were affected by the mud of the Fundão dam, which reached that district eleven hours after the rupture and the information they had the mud would not reach that community. Most of the people of Barra Longa only knew about the dam rupture at that day because they saw it in the television.

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“Regarding the question if Germano dam is going to rupture,  we have received from the company  four answers: yes, no, maybe and silence,” explained Father Geraldo Martins, Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Mariana. “This only increases the insecurity of the population and the dissatisfaction,” said the priest.

“The community lost the trust in Samarco. Especially in Barra Longa where there was time to avoid what happened here. I imagine there were technicians that were able to assess the damage below. And there was time to inform the population. So it is no use saying that the studies are based on technical studies, people lost their lives, the mud took the community away, “says Leticia Oliveira, from MAB’s national coordination.