A tailings dam collapse at Samancor Dikwena has cut access to nearby mine shafts, swept away vehicles, and knocked out Eskom power lines near Brits. Satellite analysis and experts point to delayed rainfall effects and potential structural over-deposition as potential causes.

The collapse damaged mine infrastructure, railway and Eskom power lines, polluted a nearby stream, and prompted water quality testing and a government investigation.

The 2015 dam collapse in an iron ore ​mine owned by Samarco, a joint venture between Vale and BHP, near the city of Mariana in southeastern Brazil, killed 19 people, left hundreds homeless, flooded forests and polluted the length of the ​Doce River.

What would happen if the Hoover Dam failed? While a catastrophic collapse remains extremely unlikely, the real danger facing one of America's greatest engineering achievements is far more complex. Explore the devastating consequences of a hypothetical dam failure,