A rock-salt mine of petrochemicals giant Braskem located in the northeastern coastal city of Maceio (the capital of Alagoas state) partially ruptured on Sunday (Dec 10), after officials warned that the mine was at risk of imminent collapse.

A rock-salt mine of petrochemicals giant Braskem located in the northeastern coastal city of Maceio (the capital of Alagoas state) partially ruptured on Sunday (Dec 10), after officials warned that the mine was at risk of imminent collapse. According to a report by the news agency Associated Press, authorities said that people had previously been evacuated. Maceio Mayor João Henrique Caldas said the mine was expected to stabilise following the partial collapse. Caldas also said that authorities would continue fighting and demanding responsibility from Braskem, which is the big one responsible for damages. As per the report, the partial rupture of the mine came as no surprise to the Maceio's residents, where Braskem's 40 years of rock salt mining caused the displacement of tens of thousands of people. Apart from mine 18 which partially ruptured, Braskem has said it is in the process of filling eight other cavities with sand. On Nov 28, the company alerted officials of the imminent risk the mine could collapse. Two days later, Alagoas Governor Paulo Dantas warned of the possible “formation of large craters” following the mine’s collapse and said federal teams would arrive that night as backup. Residents were ordered not to travel near the area. The updates that scared residents In the first few days after Braskem issued a warning, the company sent out regular updates, including possible times at which the mine could collapse. These updates scared residents. Speaking to the Associated Press on Dec 1, resident Carlos Eduardo, a student at the Alagaos Federal University, said, "It caused the population to be in terror, unable to sleep, worried." Rock salt mining is a process of extracting salt from deep underground deposits. Once the extraction has been done, the cavities left behind can collapse, causing the soil above to settle. Structures built on top of such areas can topple. The report said that from 1979 to 2019 when Braskem announced the shutdown of its rock salt operations in Maceio, the company operated a total of 35 mines. Troubles in the coastal city started a year earlier when large cracks first appeared on the surface. The first order to evacuate some areas was issued in 2019. Since then, five neighbourhoods in the city turned into ghost towns as residents accepted Braskem’s payouts to relocate. Meanwhile, the Brazilian Senate said that around 200,000 people in Maceio were affected by the company’s mining activities. (With inputs from agencies)

Petrochemical giant's high-risk mine in northeastern Brazil partially collapses

braskem

Braskem, News on Braskem, stories on Braskem, articles on Braskem, Braskem stories at Wion, Braskem news, Braskem latest news