Brazil Dam Failure: Toxic Mud Ravages Forests

Earlier this month, a dam in Brazil, which was carrying the waste waters of Brazilian mining company, Samarco, collapsed and flooded the towns of the South American country. The massive flow resulted in a swamp of mud that killed some residents and brought toxic waste to the region.

According to BBC News, the toxic mud also devastated the country's forests "over a large area, Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, said. The environmental agency, Ibama, charged the Iron One mine owners as Brazil's "worst mining accident."

"Ibama has made a preliminary assessment of the damage," she told O Globo newspaper. "But we will prepare a detailed study, comparing satellite pictures from before and after the breach."

Wall Street Journal reported the flood contained "high levels of toxic heavy metals and other toxic chemicals," United Nations experts said on Wednesday.

Special reporters, John Knox and Baskut Tuncak, gave new evidence that showed the presence of toxic waste in the mire, which killed eight people and left another 11 missing, who they assumed were already dead. However, their new findings contradicted the statements of the Brazilian government and the chemicals released in the mud by the mining companies were harmless.

"This is not the time for defensive posturing," Messrs, Knox and Tuncak said in a joint statement published on the website of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. "It is not acceptable that it has taken three weeks for information about the toxic risks of the mining disaster to surface."

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Geological Service of Brazil and the National Water Agency said the samples collected from the accident indicated that "there was not an increase in the presence of heavy metals in the water and sediments of the Rio Doce." However, water supplies around the affected areas were cut in the meantime, as the mud is penetrating the water downstream.

In addition, the unfortunate event has caused major wildlife to suffer, with some already seen dying when news teams and local residents aired videos that showed "mud-coated" fish struggling in the river.

Meanwhile, ABC News cited that Brazil president, Dilma Rousseff, announced preliminary fines against the mining company worth $93 million. "We are determined to hold responsible those who are responsible for this," Rousseff told reporters, naming Australia's BHP and Brazil's Vale and their joint venture Samarco.

It was declared after the 67-year-old leader checked the affected areas by flying in a chopper. She also wanted to work with state prosecutors to investigate more for possible crime and offense of the Samarco's Germano mine.

Watch the devastating Brazil flood by CNN: