Iron Mine Tailings Dam Collapse Leaves at Least 6 Dead, 7 Missing (China)

China View ^ | November 25, 2007 | Xinhua

[JACKRUSSELL]

(HAICHENG, Liaoning Province) -- Six people were confirmed dead and seven others were reported missing after an iron tailing dam collapsed early on Sunday morning in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Another 17 people were injured in the accident, which happened at around 6 a.m. at Shiqiaozi Village, Anshan City in central Liaoning, according to the local rescue headquarters.

The injured have all been hospitalized, one in critical condition. Three others were seriously hurt with crushing injuries, the side-effects of choking and abrasions, but all were expected to survive.

More than 200 rescuers were searching for the missing on Sunday evening in the rain, with 10 bulldozers clearing mud and ore.

The earthen dam, about 100 meters long and more than 10 meters high, was constructed on a hillside. Xinhua reporters observed a crack more than 10 meters long in the dam and a river of ore and mud some 80 meters wide spilling down across cropland.

A large volume of mud-like debris rushed down into two low-lying villages that are about two kilometers from the dam, destroying houses and cropland, said Yang.

"The situation is serious as hundreds of people live in the nearby villages," said Yang.

With a capacity of 780,000 cubic meters, the dam, which belongs to the Dingyang Mining Co. Ltd., an iron ore producer, is supposed to be used to contain waste ore. However, a large quantity of water built up inside the dam in recent years, said Yang.

Local authorities have sent inspectors to examine another four such dams with a registered capacity around 1 million cubic meterseach.

With a population of more than 980, Xiangyang Village, the first to be affected by the debris, sustained the worst damage, where 33 houses were destroyed and electricity was cut.

"It was at around 5:50 in the morning when I was suddenly awakened by a huge sound, like a flood," said a 40-something villager surnamed Wu. When he went out to see what had happened, he was shocked to see that a "flood" was coming.

"I went back to help my family run to a safe place, I realized the dam might collapse," said Wu.

Many others were not so lucky. Wu said he saw with his own eyes how the flood had swept away everything in its path, including people.

The local government has set up a rescue headquarters at the primary school in Xiangyang Village, which survived the flood because of its higher elevation.

"The priority of our work is to look for the missing and resettle the homeless," said Yang.

Local rescue staff provided candles, quilts, clothes and food to the homeless villagers, some of whom will spend the night at a local school. Most of the stranded residents chose to stay with relatives, said the local official.

According to the local rescue headquarters, the collapse also affected another village, Caijia, where more than 500 people lived. No casualties have been reported from the village, but there were reports of heavy damage to homes, vehicles and grain fields.

Rescue work would continue through the night, although darkness might impede progress, Yang said.

The Dingyang Mining Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary of the privately-run Xiyang Corporation, a magnesium refractory products and fertilizer producer based in Liaoning.

[JACKRUSSELL]

A rescue worker passes by a house damaged by the mine dam collapse at Xiangyang Village, which is adjacent to Shiqiaozi Village, Anshan City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Nov. 25, 2007. Six people were confirmed dead and seven others were missing after an iron mine tailing dam collapsed on early Sunday morning at Shiqiaozi Village. Another 17 people were injured in the accident. (Xinhua Photo)

An 80-metre wide river of debris spilled across fields and into two low-lying villages, destroying cropland and houses. (Reuters)

[JACKRUSSELL]

”MADE IN CHINA” Ping.

(Please FReepmail me if you would like to be on or off of the list.)

[ricks_place]

The Worst dam collapse in US history was the Johnstown Flood in 1889, killed 2,200. The ChiCom Banqiao Dam failure in 1975 killed approximately 86,000 people and another 145,000 during subsequent epidemics.

Of course the Johnstown Flood was over a hundred year ago and the Banqiao Dam failure in 1975! Living near the ChiCom Three Gorges Flood area is not advised!

[SteamShovel]

Living near the ChiCom Three Gorges Flood area is not advised!

That is a disaster waiting to happen. It will not be pretty.

A man made disaster on the scale of the recent Tsunamis.

[texas booster]

http://www.wise-uranium.org/mdaf.html

Great list of modern tailing dam failures.

I was in the area shortly after the Phelps Dodge dam collapsed in New Mexico. Serious mess for all involved.