In a tale that has stretched the bounds of both time and tragedy, the victims of Brazil’s worst environmental disaster have taken their fight across the Atlantic to a London courtroom. Nearly nine years after the 2015 mining dam collapse that unleashed a torrent of toxic waste into the Doce River, killing 19 and devastating entire communities, survivors are demanding justice—this time, from the global mining giant, BHP.
The lawsuit, seeking a jaw-dropping £36 billion ($47 billion) in damages, marks one of the largest environmental claims in history. The plaintiffs argue that BHP, co-owner of the Samarco mine where the disaster occurred, must be held accountable for the catastrophic event and its enduring aftermath. Despite BHP’s defense that it had no direct control over the dam’s operation, the victims are unwavering in their quest for reparations. “BHP is a polluter and must therefore pay,” stated lawyer Alain Choo Choy in written submissions, echoing the cries of the survivors who have watched their homes, families, and futures drown in toxic sludge.
For people like Monica dos Santos, the damage is not confined to the past. The once-thriving village of Bento Rodrigues now sits in ruins, and its survivors, scattered across resettlement areas, continue to grapple with the emotional and physical toll of the disaster. Santos, one of the disaster’s most vocal advocates, put it bluntly: “It’s not just the destruction of November 5. The destruction since, I often say, has been worse.”
This isn’t just a battle for compensation; it’s a fight for recognition. For mothers like Priscila Monteiro, who lost her five-year-old niece Emanuelle and miscarried after being rescued from the toxic flood, every day is a haunting reminder of the horrors that have yet to be fully acknowledged or addressed. “God put the people from London on our path because there is no justice in Brazil. Now our last hope is them,” she said, eyes filled with tears and pain.
As the case proceeds, the world will watch closely to see if a UK courtroom can deliver the justice these survivors have long been denied.
