Latin America

Death Toll from Brazil Waterfall Rock Face Collapse Rises To 10

The region has been under heavy rainfall for two weeks, which could have loosened the rock face. On Saturday, a dike overflowed at an iron ore mine 300 kilometers to the east, cutting off a major federal highway.

byForeign Desk Staff

January 10, 2022

1 minute read

Death toll from Brazil waterfall rock face collapse rises to 10

Firefighters of Minas Gerais state search for victms after a wall of rock collapsed on top of motor boats below a waterfall in Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil January 8, 2022. Fire Brigade of Minas Gerais/Handout via REUTERS

Reuters

Ten people died in the dramatic collapse of a canyon rock face on top of motor boats visiting a waterfall in southeastern Brazil, rescuers said on Sunday.

A tower of rocks suddenly broke away from the canyon wall on Saturday and came crashing down, crushing one of the leisure boats at Capitolio in Minas Gerais state. Shocking video images circulated on social media.

Firemen and divers recovered three more bodies from the lake on Sunday, raising the death toll to 10 in the disaster that injured some 30 tourists hit by falling rocks and a huge wave of water caused when the column of rock crashed into the lake.