Algodoes
The Algodões dam is a dam near Cocal da Estação near the border of the Brazilian states of Piauí and Ceará . It was built in 2005 and has a storage capacity of 52 million cubic meters (other information: 58.5 million m³). The dam is 21.6 m high and 840 m long.
On May 27, 2009, the dam broke after weeks of heavy rains that caused the water level in the basin to rise. A 50 m wide breach was created on the right side of the dam. A tidal wave rushed through Cocal da Estação, a town with 30,000 inhabitants , in which at least seven people were killed. 500 houses and many streets were destroyed. The tidal wave is said to have reached a height of 20 m or three floors.
In the month before the accident, there were already increased drains and leaks from the dam and about 10,000 people had left the site but had returned after the responsible engineer and the state governor guaranteed safety.