Chile's Valparaíso tailings dam El Torito faces rain‑risk alert, senators demand safety info

Senators Diego Ibáñez and Deputy Francisca Bello sent an official request to the Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente, Sernageomin, the Dirección General de Aguas, the Seremi de Salud of Valparaíso, the Municipality of Nogales and Senapred. They asked for urgent information, coordination and preventive measures ahead of a forecasted frontal system that could bring 230‑270 mm of rain to the Valparaíso Region between 16 and 18 July 2026.

The request concerns the El Torito tailings dam at the El Soldado mine operated by Anglo American Sur. Residents of the El Melón community in Nogales have expressed concern about the dam’s stability, citing a 2014 inspection that found deficiencies in the main containment wall and a prior environmental impact on the El Cobre stream. Bello said, “When a community expresses concern for its safety, authorities cannot wait for an emergency to act.” Ibáñez added, “There are concrete technical antecedents that cannot be ignored; the community has the right to know what is being inspected and what is being done to protect them.” The officials requested current dam status, recent inspection results, water‑monitoring data, emergency plans, health protocols and clear communication channels for residents.