The Brazilian Minister of Environment, Izabella Teixeira, said yesterday (November, 23), that the Brazilian government is doing everything to mitigate the environmental impact caused by a mining flood in the city of Mariana, in the State of Minas Gerais.
The accident happened on November 5. Last Sunday (November, 22), the contaminated mud reached the coast area, impacting about 10 kilometers of another Brazilian State, Espirito Santo.
The Brazilian Minister recognized the episode will bring profound ecosystem damages in Brazil, possibility causing the disappearance of endemic species.
“Tomorrow, researchers from the University of Espirito Santo will arrive here to do technical tests and analysis. Our best biologists are in campus, monitoring the impacts and preparing detailed report”, said the minister, after a meeting that she held with the State governor and some representatives from the civil society, who are very concerned about the environment.
According to the minister, the monitoring will continue for the next 90 or 120 days. In the meantime, swimming, navigating or fishing in the area will not be allowed.