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Rescue work in Brumadinho (2019): More than 270 dead
Photo: Adriano Machado/ REUTERS
Five years after a devastating dam burst in Brazil, the victims' lawsuits against the German testing company TÜV Süd are becoming increasingly serious.
In the proceedings before the Munich Regional Court, over 1,400 plaintiffs are now demanding more than 582 million euros in damages, their lawyers announced on Thursday.
On January 25, 2019, the dam of the retention basin of an ore mine broke near the small town of Brumadinho.
The toxic mudslide that swept across the region caused the deaths of more than 270 people and an environmental disaster.
TÜV Süd, whose Brazilian branch certified the dam, has rejected legal responsibility for the dam failure.
He had referred to the mining company Vale3, which is already paying billions in compensation in Brazil.
What is also controversial in the Munich proceedings is whether the German court can apply Brazilian law.
The plaintiffs hope that this will enable them to hold TÜV Süd more accountable.
According to the plaintiffs, the court now wants to address this question.
The plaintiff's lawyers said it had hired an expert in Brazilian law.