A fracture was detected at the marble quarry near Borba where the road collapsed into the quarry below, on November 19th, killing five people.
A study by a team from the University of Évora detected a fracture in 2008 and recommended that road be shut to traffic.
The president of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, António Chambel, said that a technical report was submitted that included results on tests to the stability of the quarry wall where the landslide later occurred.
A fracture was detected and the road was classified as 'likely to collapse.'
The same fracture already had been identified, "since at least the year 2000, by other institutions," according to Chambel who also is professor of the Department of Geosciences of Évora University.
António Chambel said the fracture identified by the University team was on the wall of the active quarry and could also be seen on the wall of the abandoned quarry on the other side.
A fractured like this, "may fall in the next few moments, or it might fall 100 or 200 years from now," said Chambel, noting that Borba "was not a case where it was said that it will collapse in the next few years, although studies showed it was more likely to collapse sooner than later."
According to António Chambel, "there were already indications that the fracture existed and when fractures are visible the best thing is to take precautions immediately."
The fracture had been pinned, indication that someone thought it could give way, but this was more than ten years ago and the pinning had not been checked since as it was on the side of the quarry that was abandoned.
António Chambel added that, "when the legislation came in that defined a 50 metre distance between roads and quarries, the road should have been closed, because, when the law was passed, the two quarries already were where they are today.”
In 2008, Borba Council was led by Ângelo de Sá, who served three consecutive terms between 2001 and 2013.
Contacted today by the Lusa news agency, the former Socialist Party mayor refused to comment, claiming that he had not been aware of the technical report from the University of Évora.
Rocks, blocks of marble and earth collapsed under of a 100 metre section of the national road between Borba and Vila Viçosa. The accident resulted in the death of two workers from the quarrying company whose bodies have been recovered.
The authorities are still seeking at least three missing persons, who plunged 50 metres to their death when the road gave way.
The Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the accident, which is headed by the Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DIAP) of Evora, and two teams of the Judiciary Police are investigating.
The Prime Minister says it the local council’s fault as it’s their road. The President of the Republic said the State is to blame for not keeping its people safe, the primary role of government.
