GOVERNADOR VALADARES, Brazil, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said on Thursday that Samarco must be held accountable for the disaster one week ago, when the tailings dam of the Vale-BHP joint iron ore venture burst, sending a sea of mud down a populated valley in Minas Gerais state.
Rousseff told Reuters TV at an airport after flying over the devastated region that her government estimates the preliminary value of the environmental fines that will be imposed on the company at 250 million reais ($65 million), but said that other federal and state penalties and damages payments could apply. (Writing by Reese Ewing based on Reuters TV)