A dam collapsed in north-east Brazil after heavy rain, forcing more than 100 families to be evacuated, the Bahia state government confirmed on Friday.
According to Civil Defence, the Quati dam —in the municipality of Pedro Alexandre, about 435 kilometres from the state capital— had shown signs of overtopping and cracking since the previous day due to high water pressure. An official inspection on Friday confirmed the structural failure.
Rainfall between Wednesday and Thursday exceeded 100 millimetres in the area, and the overflow reached the bed of the Rio do Peixe, flooding Pedro Alexandre and João Sá, both close to the affected dam.
No casualties or missing persons have been reported so far, although the authorities have announced further inspections to assess the extent of the damage and check nearby dams.
The incident has revived concerns over the safety of hydraulic infrastructure in Brazil, particularly after the tragic collapse of the Vale mining dam in Brumadinho (Minas Gerais) in 2019, which left 248 dead and 22 people still missing.
