At least five people died this Saturday, 32 were injured and about 20 are missing after
the detachment of a huge block of rocks on a boat
in which they were walking, near a waterfall on Lake Furnas, in the state of Minas Gerais, in Brazil.
Edgard Estevo, commander of the Minas Gerais Fire Department, announced the balance of the accident during a press conference and added that they are trying to identify the victims.
Most of the 32 people injured, according to authorities, had been discharged from area hospitals this Saturday night.
A tourist boat navigates a canyon on Lake Furnas on September 2, 2021.Andre Penner / AP
In the video that circulated this weekend, several small boats are observed sailing near a steep cliff of Lake Furnas, when suddenly the rock wall cracks and
a huge chunk, several dozen meters high, falls on two boats
.
Esteve confirmed that the accident occurred between the towns of Sao Jose da Barra and Capitolio, from where the boats left.
Lake Furnas, also known as "
the sea of Minas
", is a popular tourist attraction in the area, located about 260 miles (418 kms) north of the city of Sao Paulo.
Authorities indicated that previous rains in the area could have caused the wall to loosen and collapse.
The rains and floods, in fact,
forced almost 17,000 people to leave their homes
, as confirmed by the state's Civil Defense.
Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais, sent messages of solidarity with the families of the victims through the social network Twitter.
"Rescue work continues," Zema tweeted, "I stand in solidarity with the families at this difficult time. We will continue to act to provide the necessary support and assistance."
The Minas Gerais state press office indicated that the fire department deployed
divers and helicopters to respond to the emergency
.
The Brazilian Navy, which also assisted in the rescue, said it will investigate the causes of the accident.
With information from
The Associated Press