Inspectors of Vale Dam in Brazil Issued Warning Before Collapse

Report provided to Brazilian mining company said the structure would be at high risk of failure if it didn’t drain water properly

The Brumadinho tailings dam disaster in Brazil has killed more than 100 people as of Jan. 31, with hundreds more missing and feared dead. This video shows the moment the disaster began. Photo: BAND TV

Inspectors of a Brazilian mining-waste dam whose collapse last month killed at least 150 people had warned its owner that faulty water drainage and monitoring systems represented a potential risk of failure, according to a safety report reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

The report, provided to the mine’s owner Vale SA months before the disaster, found that flaws in monitoring crucial water concentrations and drainage made it difficult for the company to fully assess the dam’s stability.

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