Peru declares environmental emergency

Lima (Peru), Jul 7: The Peruvian government declared 90 days environmental emergency in Andean district.

Emergency was declared after the collapse of waste water storage dam. Poisonous chemicals from the dam leaked into the local river Opamayo.

The storage dam of the Caudalosa Chica company collapsed on Saturday, June 26 which caused spreading more than 21,000 cubic metres of water laden with heavy metals from the mining operations.

The Andean district is one of Peru"s poorer regions. More than 40 percent of the population, mostly farmers, take water from the Opamayo river for their own drinking water, for their animals and for their crops. The villagers complained that the company did not warn the local population about the pollution of the river.

OneIndia News