The death toll from a Brazilian dam collapse at an iron mine rose to 65 on Monday, according to officials.
Authorities say 427 people were in the Córrego do Feijão mine in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais when the dam burst Friday, unleashing a muddy sea of mining debris into the region.
Hundreds of people are still missing and the extent of damage is still being calculated, especially in the mining town of Brumadinho, which was nearly buried in the deluge.
The disaster renewed scrutiny of Brazilian mining giant Vale, which was linked to another deadly dam collapse in Minas Gerais less than four years ago. On Sunday, protesters gathered in Casa Branca, about 15 kilometers from Brumadinho, waving signs that read “Vale kills” and “Vale profits while mud kills,” local media reported.
Greenpeace Brazil said Vale’s “corporate greed” and “the omission and inefficiency” of the Brazilian government were to blame for the 2015 incident in Mariana and the latest in Brumadinho.
“We are not dealing with an accident, but with a crime against people and nature. How many lives do we still have to lose (until) the Brazilian state and mining companies learn from their mistakes?” Greenpeace Brazil Campaigns director Nilo D’Ávila said in a statement.