Brazilian rescue teams struggle to reach villages in path of dam burst

Nineteen people missing as mining executives suggest that an earth tremor could have triggered the disastrous collapse of two dams

Rescue teams have struggled to reach villages devastated by a massive mudflow after two dams burst at a major iron ore mine in south-east Brazil.

The twin bursts, which mining executives think could have been triggered by an earth tremor, wrought havoc more than 50 miles downstream and prompted officials to warn that many people are likely to have died.