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As Brazil mine spill reaches ocean, its catastrophic extent becomes clear
Since millions of gallons of mining waste burst from an inland iron ore mine a month ago, 300 miles of the Rio Doce stretching to the Atlantic Ocean has turned a Martian shade of bright orange, and the deadly consequences for residents and wildlife are just beginning to emerge.
At least 13 people died in the initial flooding, and many in communities along the river have suffered from diarrhea and vomiting as the toxic mud seeped into their water supply.
Eleven of the 90 native fish species in the river were already at risk of extinction prior to the spill, according to federal environmental officials, and experts believe that wide-ranging forms of animal and plant life will be wiped out as entire ecosystems are destroyed.
With Brazil's level of biodiversity, the die-off is likely to include an untold number of species that have yet to even be discovered.
Several days ago, the toxic sludge, which continues to spew from the mining site, reached the Atlantic Ocean in the city of Linhares north of Rio de Janeiro, as workers undertake a series of emergency projects to mitigate the damage along the river and into the Atlantic.
"There's never been a disaster like this before, so there's no guidebook for what we're supposed to do," said Rodrigo Paneto, environmental secretary for Linhares, who is overseeing an emergency dam project to protect the city's water source. "We're in war mode, just running around responding to dangers as they appear."
http://www.latimes.com/world/brazil/la-fg-brazil-spill-20151220-story.html
At least 13 people died in the initial flooding, and many in communities along the river have suffered from diarrhea and vomiting as the toxic mud seeped into their water supply.
Eleven of the 90 native fish species in the river were already at risk of extinction prior to the spill, according to federal environmental officials, and experts believe that wide-ranging forms of animal and plant life will be wiped out as entire ecosystems are destroyed.
With Brazil's level of biodiversity, the die-off is likely to include an untold number of species that have yet to even be discovered.
Several days ago, the toxic sludge, which continues to spew from the mining site, reached the Atlantic Ocean in the city of Linhares north of Rio de Janeiro, as workers undertake a series of emergency projects to mitigate the damage along the river and into the Atlantic.
"There's never been a disaster like this before, so there's no guidebook for what we're supposed to do," said Rodrigo Paneto, environmental secretary for Linhares, who is overseeing an emergency dam project to protect the city's water source. "We're in war mode, just running around responding to dangers as they appear."
http://www.latimes.com/world/brazil/la-fg-brazil-spill-20151220-story.html
