More than a dozen people are feared dead after a dam holding back waste water from an iron ore mine in Brazil burst, flooding nearby homes. Officials in south-eastern Minas Gerais state say one person is confirmed dead. But there are reports that up to 16 have died and others are missing. Rivers of thick red mud surged down the valleys of the hilly area outside the old colonial city of Mariana. It engulfed cars and lorries, and destroyed homes. Authorities in Mariana said the dam had ruptured on Thursday afternoon and sent torrents of mud and debris into the small town of Bento Rodrigues, about 7km (four miles) away. The BBC's Julia Dias Carneiro in Rio de Janeiro said the area affected is home to about 500 people. The rescue operation has been hampered by fears of landslides but helicopters have taken several stranded people to safety, she adds. Authorities have warned that the water mixed with residue from mining operations could be toxic. A spokesman for the Samarco mining company, which owns the dam, said the cause of the breach was not yet known.
A dam has burst overnight at a Brazilian iron-ore mine owned by Anglo-American mining giant, BHP Billiton, and Brazil's Vale, killing at least 16 people and devastating the local area with mudslides and debris; over 600 have also been evacuated so far and at last 45 are missing The dam at the mine, that is run by Samarco, was built to hold back water and residue from mining operations, including tailings, mining waste, and some toxic chemicals; it is located near the BBC do Norte river, adding fears of potential water contamination. This comes just as both companies are struggling with a collapse in iron ore prices and a slump in the industry.