O environment it is constantly a victim of man's action. Damage usually appears after years of degradation, however, sometimes accidents occur and major environmental disasters happen, causing imbalances in the ecosystem and killing many people. Discover now five major environmental disasters caused by man that left victims and harmed the environment.
→ Pollution in Minamata (1954)
The problem in Minamata started after an industry dumped several tons of mercury into the ocean. This contamination affected fish and other organisms, causing mercury to enter the food chain. Over time, the mercury hit man, triggering problems in the nervous system of the region's residents, who began to have seizures and lack of control in their motor activities. Several people died from the contamination.
→ Leakage in Bhopal (1984)
The spill in Bophal, India, followed an accident at a pesticide factory, which caused the release of toxic and lethal substances into the atmosphere. Several people died and several others were affected. After the accident, there was an increase in cases of blindness and the birth of children with congenital problems. It is estimated that around 15,000 people died from toxic gases in the atmosphere.
→ Accident at Chernobyl (1986)
The accident in Chernobyl, Ukraine, occurred after a reactor explosion, which spread radiation and contaminated several people. According to non-governmental organizations, around 80,000 people died from radiation and several others were contaminated and suffered serious health problems, such as cancer.
→ Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico (2010)
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurred after the explosion of a platform of the British oil company British Petroleum. The explosion left people dead and released approximately five million barrels of oil into the sea. The spilled oil killed thousands of animals and contaminated several others. Due to the pollution the region and fish deaths, economic activity in the area was affected as tourism and fishing declined.
The accident in Mariana occurred in Brazil, in 2015, after the collapse of a mining tailings dam. About 34 million cubic meters of mud were released into the environment, causing the destruction of the district of Bento Rodrigues and several other areas where the material passed through. The large amount of mud killed people, several plant and animal species, in addition to destroying the region's rivers and streams, which were left practically without life forms. The recovery of this region could take decades.
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