Brumadinho: dam collapses and cities are covered by toxic mud

In the early afternoon of that Friday, a dam at Mina do Feijão, in Minas Gerais state, operated by Vale Mining company, collapsed and spilled over 12 million cubic meters of mud contaminated with ore tailings on dozens of nearby communities and on the Paraopeba river basin. More than 250 people died at the scene, mostly Vale workers and residents, but also some tourists. The images of bodies being dragged out of the sea of contaminated mud that covered houses, vehicles, roads and trees shocked Brazilians in what was considered one of the worst environmental tragedies in the country’s history.