The dust was just beginning to settle when one of the workers let out a horrified scream! What he was seeing in front of him only existed in nightmares!
As the crew tried to make a survival plan, they couldn't know for sure if any of them would even survive. They had to act fast as every minute could cost them...a life!
A Controlled Explosion
A team of construction workers in Brazil thought they were starting a regular workday. All they had to do was blow up part of the caves that were connected to the Belo Monte Dam. The work was controversial, but the team just wanted to get home to their families.
Working deep in the Amazon forest, they were constantly on edge and dangerously close to many poisonous and violent creatures. They didn’t realize the monster they were about to unleash.
There Was Danger All-Around
Working in the Amazon meant the crew had to stay vigilant about watching out for dangerous creatures. It was a constant risk spending hours in the depths of the Amazon.
With spiders and other reptiles lurking in the shadows, the crew was stressed. They knew after this one explosion they could go home to their families. No one could have predicted the monstrous roadblock they collided with instead.
The Team Knew The Risks
When they began to lay down the explosives, the team knew the risk. It was impossible to tell what was living beneath the rock and buried in the dark caves.
With each explosive they lay down, the men couldn’t help but feel their hearts race. Each sound became a threat. They ran to safety and their eyes went wide with what followed them out of the cave.
The Dam Was Political
The workers had more to be concerned about than just a poisonous bite. The construction of this dam was being covered internationally. Many people were outraged over the damage it would do to the environment.
It turned out the protesters had every right to be upset. When the explosions happened the work released a creature most had only seen in their nightmares.
No One Could Believe Their Eyes
The workers did not suspect anything and stood far away to let the cave crumble. After a loud bang, they began to head back to remove the rocks and debris. Suddenly the men began to yell and ran back towards safety.
If this monster had survived for this long in the amazon, then the workers would be no match. Would they dare take a step forward and risk never seeing their families again?
They Needed A Plan
The worksite was becoming a horror movie. The workers needed a plan and someone had to bravely approach the monster. They knew it would be a delicate operation and the men would need proof it was tranquilized before taking another step.
When you come face to face with an animal that only exists in your nightmares, how do you continue to work in the jungle? When they found out what they had to do the team whispered a silent prayer and hoped for divine protection.
Trapped With Nowhere To Go
When the crew got the beast trapped, they felt as if they had looked death in the face and won. It was a weird sense of relief when you trap a beast so few people will ever see.
Holding the body up to take pictures they still couldn’t believe what they had found. Would other animals arrive to replace the horror they had removed from the jungle? One of the workers decided to share the experience online and quickly the internet had opinions!
The Politics Of Protection
The main issue with the work on the Belo Monte Dam was the removal of wildlife. The Dam had already existed for several years and people were frustrated that it would continue impacting the environment.
What the workers had discovered actually proved the argument of those that were protesting. Clearly, this beast had lived for years without causing harm. Now that the world had seen it, its existence would be terminated.
What Did The Team Find?
At first, no one wanted to believe the crew, but the pictures made it very clear what this animal was. After further research, the team realized they might be holding a Guinness World Record.
The record was currently held by a monster named Medusa, who was located in Kansas City, United States, and measured 25 feet. What this construction crew had was even longer….
Anonymous Anaconda
The construction crew had accidentally discovered a 33-foot long anaconda snake. The silver lining to this reptile was it did not have a venomous bite. However, dying by an anaconda was far more sinister than one tiny bite.
The anaconda has been used as a famous villain in several movies. When people see the massive slithering body their first instinct is to run for safety. Unfortunately, usually by the time you see this predator, it is too late.
A Natural Habitat
The anaconda prefers to live in deep waters. In order to attack it will wrap its long body around its victim and squeeze until it is crushed. The snake will also drag the poor victim underwater and wait for it to drown.
In general, if found outside of the water, the snake is not aggressive. The explosion had ruined the environment that the snake called home, and left it stunned and easy to remove. Touching one of these scales sent shivers down every man's spine.
Environmental Impacts And Protest
The Belo Monte Dam is the largest Hydro-power plant in Brazil and the fourth largest in the world. When it was first designed, the aqua dam was praised for its environmental approach, but as the project scale grew, the impact was no longer positive.
The original design was that the water would be diverted to flow through a secondary channel that also helped reservoirs and local wildlife. It would then go to an electricity-producing dam and help the population. Greed was getting the best of this natural design.
Greenhouse Gas
After the design was studied further, scientists were shocked to find out the dam was producing three times more emissions than before it reached the reservoir. Indigenous communities were outraged.
The dam wasn’t protecting anyone and was now making more damage instead of solutions. Even though the dam had great intentions it was only hiding more evil than creating positive environmental solutions.
Floods And Fishing
Indigenous tribes that live close to the dam have been voicing more concerns about the rapid depletion of fish in the area. Due to floods, the fish population has drastically dropped.
Many families depend on this for survival, but what do they do about the monsters lurking behind every corner? When the construction crew finally got a closer look they couldn’t believe what was in front of them.
Getting A Closer Look
The construction team knew the anaconda was not poisonous but still proceeded with caution. Even though a bite would not be life-threatening, if the snake got close enough it would be a squeeze of death.
It would take careful planning to finally chain the beast and get a closer look at what had slithered out from the caves. It was always unpredictable what would crawl to the surface when you were working in the Amazon forest.
Raising The Standards
While it is still unclear if the snake survived the explosion or was tranquilized by the construction crew, the brave men finally got it hoisted and got a closer inspection. An anaconda has very unique markings and this was the first time anyone had gotten so close.
It was still terrifying but the men couldn’t help but capture images of what they saw. It kept feeling like a Hollywood thriller and not their real lives. Would the work continue after this discovery?
Using A Crane
The workers decided to use a crane and hoist the anaconda up in the air. It was to prove the sheer size of what they had captured. When they spoke to their families no one could believe what had been discovered.
The snake was hoisted using chains and its 33 feet long body dangled in the air. This snake could easily destroy any man that came near it, would it stay contained or fight for survival?
Viral Reactions
The videos were quickly shared with family and friends and began to circulate on the internet. The Amazon forest is a lush and dense jungle that no one has truly explored. For folks living outside of Brazil, the experience was unimaginable.
The construction workers were questioned at length about their intentions and treatment of the anaconda. After surviving a brush with death, would they lose their jobs over a few pictures circulating the internet?
The Belo Monte Dam Today
The dam is still operational after the incredible 2016 anaconda discovery. Today the dam is still being questioned for its impact on Indigenous tribs and the surrounding area. With water levels continuing to drop, the Brazilian population wants a new sustainable solution.
All of the workers still can’t believe the day or the memory of being able to touch a 33-foot long anaconda. While they lived to tell the tale, the image will permanently stay in their mind's eye.