Brazil takes swift action against chemical spill
The Brazilian government acted swiftly on Friday to prevent the drinking water of six cities from being contaminated following a chemical spill in Rio de Janeiro state.

Dikes broke on Thursday in the southeastern state, dumping 80,000 cubic meters of pollutants into the Fuba River, which feeds the Muriae River.

The dikes, which have since been repaired, belong to the Rio Pomba Mineracao mining company, environmental authorities said on Friday.

State authorities immediately stopped the drawing of water from the Muriae Lake which supplies the city of Lago do Muriae. Their swift response had prevented the contaminants from reaching the South Paraiba River, which provides water for six cities in the region, the authorities said.

The South Paraiba River had been badly contaminated in 2003 by a company in the same mining group.

In Thursday's incident, the Fuba River had been polluted with the company's least dangerous liquids and the acidity levels in the river had already returned to normal, said authorities from Minas Gerais, where the mining company is based.

The heaviest and most toxic mine waste had been leaked from the company's site but had not reached the river, they added.