Iran Press/America: Rescuers arrived at the scene of the incident, which has so far left at least nine people dead, according to officials.
According to Press TV, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was to visit the affected zone, around the town of Brumadinho which is located near the city of Belo Horizonte, on Saturday, a government spokesman said.
His government, facing its first big emergency since taking office in the New Year, set up urgent coordination between the defense, environment and mining ministries to bolster operations by the state of Minas Gerais.
Access to Brumaldinho -- population 39,000 -- was difficult after the mud cut across roads, hampering officials' ability to determine the scope and gravity of the disaster.
Television images showed helicopters being used to rescue people stuck in mud, and a wide swath of destruction carved through vegetation and farmland, in which damaged and destroyed houses were dotted.
Four people were taken to hospital and were in a stable condition.
A separate statement by the environment ministry said that the initial preoccupation of the federal government is the rescue of victims, giving support to the region, and protecting water-catchment areas.
The dam belonged to Brazil's giant mining company Vale, which confirmed its collapse and said top priority is to protect the lives of employees and inhabitants.
It did not say what caused the dam to collapse. 105 /211
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