Belo Horizonte [Brazil]: China on Saturday extended condolences to the families of the deceased and of those who went missing due to the collapse of a dam at an iron ore mine in southern Brazil, which took place on Friday, claiming as many as nine lives.
CNN on Saturday quoted the local authorities confirming that approximately 345 people reportedly went missing following the incident that also led to severe flooding in Minas Gerais, a large inland state in southeastern Brazil.
Xinhua news agency reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his message to his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro said that he was dismayed to hear the news of the dam collapse and wished for early recovery of the people who were injured.
A video released by CNN on Friday showed the Brumadinho, located in the state of Minas Gerais, has been entirely covered in mud, while rescue efforts were underway as residents in and around the area were evacuated. The hunt for the missing people is still on.
The devastating incident comes four years after an iron ore tailings dam collapsed in Minas Gerais in 2015, killing 17 people.
“Difficult to be faced with all this scenario and not get excited. We will do everything in our power to care for the victims, minimize damages, ascertain the facts, collect justice and prevent new tragedies such as Mariana and Brumadinho, for the sake of Brazilians and the environment,” the Brazilian President tweeted after paying a visit to the accident site.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]