Braskem's mine: Escalating ground subsidence raises concerns
The Brazilian petrochemical producer Braskem is grappling with issues caused by damages from its salt mine, leading to the sinking of the ground in the city of Maceio and necessitating evacuations. Approximately 200,000 people in the capital of Alagoas state have been affected by the repercussions of excessive rock salt extraction.
On Tuesday (Dec. 5), the Civil Defense of Maceió conveyed that the subsidence of the soil above Braskem's Mine 18 is experiencing a gradual acceleration. In the preceding report on December 4, it was noted that the vertical displacement measured 0.26 centimeters per hour (cm/h).
According to the latest bulletin released this morning, the speed has risen to 0.27 cm/h. The accumulated vertical displacement of the mine has now reached 1.86 meters, reflecting a movement of 6.5 cm within the last 24 hours.
The mine, situated in the vicinity of the old Centro Sportivo Alagoano (CSA) field in Mutange, poses an imminent risk of collapsing, prompting the Civil Defense to remain on high alert.
The bulletin issues a clear precautionary recommendation, urging the population to avoid the unoccupied area until a new update from Civil Defense is provided. Simultaneously, control and monitoring measures are being implemented to mitigate the potential danger.
The agency's analysis team noted that the information is derived from continuous data collection, including seismic analyses.
