BRASILIA, (Reuters) – A court has ordered the operators of two new hydroelectric dams in western Brazil to redo their environmental impact studies on the suspicion they have caused extensive flooding in the area.
The federal court injunction issued on Monday in the state of Rondonia also ordered them to provide food, temporary housing and transport for more than 11,000 people forced to leave their homes by the rising waters of the Madeira River, the Amazon’s largest tributary.
The injunction was sought by federal and state prosecutors who last week sought the suspension of the dams’ licenses until their impact on the environment can be assessed again.
The two dams are part of an array of hydro projects that Brazil plans to build in the Amazon to cover power shortages and meet growing demand for electricity. Environmentalists say the dams will cause flooding and devastate indigenous communities.
The Madeira reached its highest level on record this week, cutting off highways and flooding dozens of villages upriver from the state capital of Porto Velho.
The court said there was not enough evidence at present to link the flooding to the Santo Antonio and Jirau dams and gave the companies 90 days to show they are doing new environmental impact studies.
