https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-024-05671-5
Regular Article
Unveiling disaster: exploring dam failures and CBRNe events in Brazil and beyond
1
CBRNe Program-University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
2
Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
3
Physics Department, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil
4
Scuola di Ingegneria, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
5
Institute for Technological Research, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
6
Yale Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
Received:
31
May
2024
Accepted:
21
September
2024
Published online:
30
October
2024
Dams are vital for ensuring water access in regions with seasonal or unpredictable availability, and their absence can lead to devastating impacts. In addition to water storage, dams are used for industrial waste containment. Even more than water dams, waste dams pose a high environmental risk. Brazil, a major mining country, has 924 mining waste dams, posing significant risks. Previous dam failures led to the enactment of Law No. 12,334 in 2010, establishing the National Dam Safety Policy. Despite this, Brazil experienced two major incidents involving mining waste releases. This study analyses the Emergency Action Plans (PAEs) from the perspective of rescuers involved in the Mariana and Brumadinho disasters. Interviews with three firefighters, selected based on their relevant experiences, were conducted using a phenomenological approach and the Discourse of the Collective Subject (DCS) method for analysis. Results highlight the importance of updated, practical, and clear PAEs, as well as realistic dam breach simulations focusing on rescue activities and escape routes. The study suggests introducing the term "Zone of Impossible Salvation" in Brazilian legislation to enhance PAEs and potentially save lives. Coordination and execution of meticulously conceived and dynamic plans are crucial for the success of the dam safety system, ensuring accessibility to stakeholders.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
