A Philippine court has ordered that the victims of the 1993 Marcopper Mining’s Maguila-guila dam burst be paid 300,000 pesos (US$5,734) each, plus a share of 1 million pesos for exemplary damages, reported Reuters.

The case was filed in 2001 by residents in the island province of Marinduque, who sought compensation after a typhoon caused the dam to burst, submerging nearby communities. It is considered one of the country's worst mining disasters.

Marcopper, which folded after the incident, had denied liability and negligence in its maintenance and operations of the dam, according to the court decision. It was not immediately clear who would pay the compensation as Marcopper’s parent, Placer Dome, was acquired by Barrick Gold in 2006.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau Director Wilfredo Moncano said the court decision "serves as a reminder to all mining companies to strictly comply with environment laws and regulations."

Source: Reuters