RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Iguá dam collapsed in the Brazilian state of Bahia, in the Northeast of the country, after weeks of heavy rainfall that flooded the already rising local rivers, regional authorities said this weekend.
The dam is located near the city of Vitoria da Conquista, in southern Bahia, prompting authorities to evacuate residents at risk, mainly in the city of Itambé. No deaths or injuries have been reported for the moment.
“A dam collapsed with a large volume of water and a strong flash flood will affect the municipality of Itambé,” the administrative unit posted on Instagram.
“All inhabitants must urgently leave the banks of the Verruga River,” it added.
Itambé is an agricultural region in southern Bahia located some 200 kilometers inland from the coastal city of Ilhéus.
The rains have caused 18 deaths in Bahia since the beginning of November and 66 localities are in an emergency situation, Civil Defense officials said.
In the state capital of Salvador, meteorological authorities said December rains were 6 times higher than the average.