Early Saturday morning, a old pond of the Monte Neme mining operationOn the Costa da Morte, a landslide suddenly gave way, unleashing a torrent of water and sediment down the slope. The event, which occurred between the municipalities of Malpica and Carballo in A Coruña province, caused significant damage to the mountainside and infrastructure, but No injuries or direct damage to homes have been reportedSomething that residents and authorities have described as almost a miracle given the size of the landslide.
The collapse occurred in a interior gallery associated with one of the three ponds of the old Monte Neme mine...an infrastructure whose precise existence was previously unknown. The rupture acted like a floodgate suddenly opening: the water level in the affected reservoir dropped by about three meters, and the resulting torrent swept away... thousands of liters of water mixed with large stones, soil, mud, shrubs and forest debris, leaving behind a devastated landscape and a road that has completely disappeared in one of its sections.
How the mine gallery collapsed
Initial investigations suggest that the accident was mainly due to the intense and persistent rains this winter on the Costa da Mortewhich would have overloaded the structure of the reservoir and forced the gallery to rupture. Officials from the Galician regional government (Xunta) and the central government agree in pointing to the High seasonal rainfall as the main trigger for the structural failureAt the moment, there is no evidence that the regeneration work recently started in the area is related to what happened.
This gallery was part of the infrastructure of the historic mining operation, and until this incident, its condition and actual capacity were unknown in detail. When it collapsed, the internal pressure suddenly released the impounded water, generating a flash flood that It cut its way down the hillside with enormous destructive forceThe technicians estimate that the partial emptying of the reservoir was abrupt enough to uproot trees, erode forest tracks and cause large sinkholes.
According to the mayors of Malpica and Carballo, who spoke during their visit to the site, the affected reservoir would be the smaller of the two that still remain in the old Monte Neme mining complexThe larger reservoir, they point out, remains with a contained water level and partially covered, so, as of today, there is no immediate risk of a similar overflow, although reinforced monitoring will be maintained while the rains continue.
The Galician government had launched, at the end of last year, environmental rehabilitation and restoration work at the Monte Neme mining operationThe aim was to correct historical impacts and reduce risks associated with the reservoirs. However, the bad weather of recent weeks had forced the slowdown or halting of some of these actions, and the breach occurred precisely in a different area from where the main regeneration work was taking place, according to regional government sources.
Damage to the forest, the road and the recreational environment
The extent of the material damage is considerable. The flood originated in the reservoir. It devastated the mountain in its pathuprooting vegetation and creating a wide swath of devastated land. The workers on the ground describe a furrow of mud and large stones that runs down the hillside to the lowest points, where the material has settled as it lost force.
One of the most visible consequences was the impact on the road that connects Leiloio (Malpica) with Razo (Carballo)The torrent of water and debris swept away an entire section of the road, leaving it impassable throughout Saturday. Residents of Aviño, in the municipality of Malpica, raised the alarm early in the morning after discovering that The road had literally disappeared just a few meters from the first houses of the village.The tongue of mud and rocks stopped just over one hundred meters from the houses, which ultimately suffered no structural damage.
Heavy machinery teams were deployed immediately and worked against the clock to clear the area. By late in the day, the machines had managed to remove a good portion of the enormous mass of earth, rock, and mud accumulated on the road, while work continued on to redirect the water to prevent it from crossing the road and to continue stabilizing the terrainHowever, local authorities have warned that a significant amount of work still needs to be done before access is fully restored.
Beyond the main road, there have also been reports Damage to forest tracks and secondary roads in the Monte Neme areaespecially in the Aviño area and on some access roads from the Carballo side. The severe erosion caused by the flood has left sections impassable and unstable slopes that will require specific consolidation and drainage work.
The impact also reached the O Riás recreational area, in the municipality of Malpica, where significant damage has been reported to leisure infrastructure and part of the hiking trail known as the Pinos route, near the O Riás streamAt a lower point in the route, a water tank used in fighting forest fires It has also been affected by the avalanche of sediment, which adds to the concern ahead of the fire season and makes it necessary to assess a possible priority repair of this facility.
Emergency response and institutional deployment
The magnitude of the episode triggered a rapid mobilization of emergency services and local, regional and state authoritiesFrom the early hours of the morning, the mayor of Malpica, Eduardo Parga, and councilors Miguel Ángel Fernández and Noelia Freijeiro traveled to the disaster zone accompanied by the Local Police, Civil Protection volunteers, and Civil Guard officers. Simultaneously, the Carballo Town Council activated its own emergency response plan and sent its Local Police and Civil Protection teams, who also accessed Monte Neme from the Cances side.
Representing Carballo, the following people went to the scene: Mayor Daniel Pérez and the councilors responsible for Public Works, Police and Civil ProtectionAmong them were Luis Lamas, Juan Seoane, and Miguel Vales. The Carballo councilor immediately offered his assistance to the mayor of Malpica to coordinate resources and collaborate in any way necessary, given that, although the most affected section is located within Malpica's territory, the impact is felt in an area shared by both municipalities.
The scale of the incident also led to the presence on the ground of the Minister of Economy and Industry, María Jesús Lorenzana, and the subdelegate of the Government in A Coruña, Julio AbaldeBoth institutional representatives inquired about the condition of the settling ponds and the extent of the spill caused by the gallery collapse. In their statements, they attributed the rupture to the heavy rains of recent weeks and stressed the need for close monitoring of both the stability of the large pond and the evolution of the mobilized sediments.
The Deputy Government Delegate highlighted that work is underway in the area. the emergency services of the Xunta de Galicia, which holds the powers in matters of mining and civil protection in this areaHe explained that all regional and state prevention units are coordinated and vigilant to monitor the evolution of the spill and act immediately if any anomaly or additional risk to the population or the natural environment is detected.
In addition to the municipal teams, the deployed operation includes personnel from the Xunta, Maritime Rescue, the Galician Coast Guard Service, the Regional Police, the Carballo Fire Department, the Ponteceso Emergency Response Team (GES), and the Civil Protection groups of Malpica and Carballo. The Galician Emergency Agency (AXEGA-112) remains on alert in case greater mobilization of resources, both land, air or sea, is necessary.
Environmental impact and water quality after the spill
One of the aspects that has generated the most concern from the very beginning is the possible environmental impact of the sludge and water from the old mining pondbecause reservoirs of this type often contain minerals and potentially polluting substances associated with past mining activity. Authorities have confirmed that the flood channeled water, mud, and rocks to the O Riás streamand from there to the Riás beach, in Malpica, and the Razo beach, in Carballo, where the material arrived as the hours passed.
To assess the actual risk, a water quality control protocol was activated. Technicians from the Regional Ministry of the Environment, through Augas de Galicia (Galician Water Authority), and officers from the Environment and Seprona (Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard) carried out the assessment. sampling in the O Riás river and at different points of the affected riverbedRapid analyses carried out on site indicate, for the moment, normal values for pH, dissolved oxygen, and electrical conductivitybasic parameters that allow the detection of significant alterations in the composition of water.
The Galician government has indicated that, based on the data available so far, No appreciable contamination of aquatic or marine ecosystems has been detected. linked to the incident, although monitoring will continue in the coming days. Despite this message of relative calm, the authorities have preferred to apply the principle of caution and have recommended that residents of the area, for the time being, consume only water from the mains supply (the piped water)avoiding the use of private or other sources of income springs near the affected area.
Regional and state agencies will maintain continuous monitoring in the coming days, with the implementation of New analyses and controls at strategic points along the river and coastThe aim is to check whether, over time, the deposited sediments release substances that could alter the water quality, river fauna, or marine ecosystems near the river mouths.
In parallel, possible Additional measures to retain or stabilize accumulated sludge in sensitive areasThis is to prevent future episodes of heavy rain from reactivating the debris flows and widening the affected area. These decisions will be adjusted based on the results of the analyses and the evolution of weather conditions.
Background on Monte Neme and regeneration plans
The accident that occurred on this occasion is not an isolated incident in the recent history of Monte Neme. Just over a decade ago, Another of the ponds in the old mining complex had already suffered a collapse due to similar causes.These events were also associated with a period of intense and prolonged rainfall. That episode released tens of thousands of cubic meters of water and sediment, causing material damage to some homes in the Aviño area, although again without causing any personal injuries.
It was precisely this background that led the Xunta de Galicia to design a specific restoration plan for the old mine and quarry of Monte Nemewith a budget of around one million euros. Among the priority objectives of this plan were the rehabilitation of the degraded landscape, the improvement of safety in abandoned mining infrastructures and the minimization of the risk of new tailings dam breaks, both due to weather conditions and the natural deterioration of facilities that had gone decades without adequate maintenance.
The start of these restoration works had been planned for the beginning of this year, but the succession of storms that has affected the Costa da Morte in recent weeks This forced a delay in some of the planned work. According to regional government sources, in the days leading up to the collapse, weather conditions prevented normal work in the reservoir area, which contributed to the rupture occurring without any prior reinforcement or drainage measures being implemented.
Although the authorities insist that The detected break is not directly linked to the regeneration works already underway.The incident underscores the need to accelerate and expand safety measures at the mining complex. Specifically regarding the large tailings pond, which remains partially covered and has a greater capacity, the priority will be to ensure that a similar incident does not occur, especially if heavy rains persist or further instability develops on the slope.
The administrations involved must now review the deadlines and scope of the planned workIncorporating the lessons learned from this latest collapse. The experience gained from several incidents at Monte Neme suggests that the combination of aging mining infrastructure and extreme weather events creates a risk scenario that demands decisive and coordinated intervention among the different levels of government.
Recommendations to the population and short-term outlook
While cleanup, surveillance and damage assessment work continues, the municipalities of Malpica and Carballo have issued Calls for caution directed to the local population and those who regularly visit Monte NemeWhether for leisure, hiking, or out of curiosity, the authorities expressly request that people avoid going up to the affected area from both the Malpica and Carballo sides, at least until the stability of the terrain and the safety of the access routes can be guaranteed.
The state of the soil, highly saturated with water and altered by erosion, means that Any movement along the slopes may entail additional risksThis is due both to the possibility of small landslides and the presence of sinkholes hidden under the mud. In addition, some of the forest tracks have become impassable, which would complicate vehicle access in case of emergency.
Civil protection services also emphasize the importance of residents following the guidelines. recommendations on water consumption They also advise against collecting water from springs or streams near the affected area while testing continues. They further recommend staying tuned to official information channels, where updates on the status of reservoirs, water quality, and the condition of road infrastructure will be provided.
In the short term, efforts will focus on restore road communication between Leiloio and RazoThe work will focus on securing the most unstable slopes and consolidating the areas affected by the flood. Simultaneously, technical teams will conduct a detailed assessment of the stability of the large reservoir and the internal structures of the old mine, with the aim of identifying potential weaknesses and defining reinforcement measures.
Overall, the collapse of the mine gallery at Monte Neme has brought the issue back to the forefront. the need to address the management of former mining operations in a comprehensive manner scattered across various locations in Galicia and throughout Spain. The incident has left a trail of significant damage to the forest and several facilities, but also confirms that the rapid emergency response and institutional coordination have been key to preventing greater harm, both to the population and the environment.
