Mariana dam collapse victims speak out as London trial begins

Darliza das Graças moved there a year ago. She owned a small bar in the “old” Bento Rodrigues and runs a restaurant now.

“Life here is wonderful, it’s good. But at the beginning it was very difficult, there were few residents,” she said.

“Now they are coming, it’s much better.”

More than 100 people have been resettled there so far, but – nine years on – there are still some who have not yet moved in because their house is not ready, or because they have chosen not to.

While Darliza is happy here, she says she preferred her old life because “the community there was more united”. Not everyone from her old community has chosen to live here.

BHP and Vale deny claims of liability in their entirety and argue the UK legal action is “unnecessary as it duplicates matters already covered by the existing and ongoing work of the Renova Foundation and other legal proceedings in Brazil”.

All companies involved say they remain “committed” to repairing the damage caused. BHP and Vale have made a fresh offer to the Brazilian government, expected to be signed on Friday, to pay out more than 170bn reais ($45bn) in compensation.

Samarco added the Renova Foundation has compensated 18 of the 19 families of victims who died and continue to contact families and lawyers in cases that have not been resolved.

Fernanda Lavarello, head of corporate affairs at BHP Brasil, said: “What happened in 2015 was a tragedy. We are sorry about what happened. Since then, BHP never abandoned the country and is doing everything it can to repair the environment and life of those families.”

“Some processes are taking longer than expected, because it is quite complex, but for the families that chose quickly to have their houses built here, their houses are ready, and they have already moved in.”