Landslide damages Copper Highway, bringing production at one El Teniente plant to a screeching halt

To see international photos, click here

RANCAGUA.- The El Teniente division of Codelco was forced to put a new plan into action after rain and high temperatures caused flooding and mudslides within mountainous area.

The company stated that the landslide has affected two of the El Teniente mine facilities, obstructing the fifth stretch of the Copper Highway and making it difficult to gain access to the Sewell plant, where activity has been at a standstill since last night.

Additionally, unofficial reports indicated that many passages have been affected by the slide, suggesting that part of Sewell has been flooded and that the Coya River may have diverted from its channel.

El Teniente has already begun three projects to clean and clear the roadways, which allowed for all of the workers on shift at the time to be evacuated.

The mine's management will conduct a survey of the damage caused by the unusual event so that operations at the Sewell plant, as well as the other affected areas, may return to normal.

For now, clean-up efforts performed early this morning have allowed for employees working the A-Shift to access the zone.