Farmers in Zambia have filed an $80bn (£58.5bn) lawsuit against two Chinese-linked firms, blaming them for an 'ecological catastrophe' caused by the collapse of a dam that stored waste from copper mining.
Millions of litres of highly acidic material spilled into waterways in February, leading to 'mass fatalities' among fish, making water undrinkable and destroying crops, the farmers said in court papers.
This is one of the biggest environmental lawsuits in Zambia's history, with the farmers saying the spillage affects about 300,000 households in the copper-mining region.
The US embassy issued a health alert in August, raising concerns of 'widespread contamination of water and soil' in the area.
The lawsuit pits villagers, who are mostly subsistence farmers, against Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, which are subsidiaries of Chinese state-owned firms.
A group of 176 of them have filed papers on behalf of their community in the High Court in Zambia's capital, Lusaka.
They alleged the collapse of the tailings dam - owned by Sino Metals Leach Zambia but located in the surface area of NFC Africa Mining - was caused by numerous factors, including engineering failures, construction flaws, and operational mismanagement.
The firms have not yet commented on the lawsuit, but Sino Metals Leach Zambia has previously stated there was a spillage of about 50,000 cubic meters.
'The tailings release and breach was promptly brought under control within hours of detection,' the firm said in a statement on September 3.
In the court documents, the farmers claimed they learned about the water's toxicity several days after the tailings dam collapsed, putting the community's health at risk. Reports of symptoms such as blood in urine and chest tightness have surfaced.
Villages have dug wells that are now polluted, leading to the burning of crops deemed unsafe for consumption, the petitioners highlighted.
The farmers demand that the two firms deposit $80bn in a Zambian government-managed account as 'security' for environmental reparation and full compensation. They also called for an emergency fund of $20m to assist affected residents and conduct thorough health and environmental assessments.
Last month, the US embassy ordered the immediate withdrawal of its personnel from Kitwe, expressing concern about the potential health threat from airborne contaminants following the spill.
In response, Zambian government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa asserted that there were no serious implications for public health, urging that there was 'no need to press the panic button' to alarm the nation and the international community.
