Brazil: Seven dead, dozens missing after rock breaks from cliff and falls on boaters

At least seven people have died after a towering slab of rock broke from a cliff and toppled onto boaters near a waterfall on a Brazilian lake on Saturday. While speaking at a news conference, Minas Gerais fire department commander Edgard Estevo informed that in addition to the dead, as many as nine people have been seriously injured and another 20 people may still be missing. 

In the clip, small boats can be seen moving slowly near the sheer rock cliff on Furnas Lake when a fissure appeared in the rock and a huge piece toppled directly onto at least two of the vessels. In the news conference, Estevo said that the incident occurred between the towns of Sao Jose da Barra and Capitolio, from where the boats had left. Officials suggested that the earlier rains could have contributed to the wall coming loose.

Brazilian Navy to investigate the accident 

While speaking to AP, the press office of Minas Gerais state said that the fire department had even deployed divers and helicopters to help rescue the victims. The Brazilian Navy, who also helped the rescue operation, said that it would further investigate the causes of the accident. 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that the region has been under heavy rainfall for two weeks now, which could have loosened the rock face. Furnas Lake, called the “sea of Minas”, is a popular tourist draw in the area roughly 420km north of Sao Paulo. The heavy rains in the region have forced almost 17,000 people out of their homes due to flooding. 

(Image: Twitter/Unsplash)