A tragic accident occurred in Minas Gerais state, Brazil on January 8, 2022. At least seven people died and around nine got severely injured when the wall of rock toppled on top of their motorboats underneath a waterfall in Sul Minas, Brazil. Apart from that around 3 people went missing soon after the accident. The divers told that they have already searched the lake for the victims but no clue was found.
A tower of rocks abruptly broke loose from the canyon wall and rained down on many leisure boats in the region, causing the unfortunate incident. It caused a tremendous wave in the lake at Capitolio, in the state of Minas Gerais.
Videos of the incident went viral soon after the accident. In the major video that went viral people can be seen shouting as the rock fell on their motorboats and smashed two motorboats.
5 dead, 30 injured & 20 missing. This happened in Brazil today
. pic.twitter.com/livcrVDila— KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 8, 2022
The injured were transported to local hospitals. Many people had fractured bones, and one guy was hospitalized with major head and facial injuries. Authorities said at least 23 others were treated for minor injuries.
Further, the reason behind the unfortunate incident hasn’t been revealed yet. Some say that the region has been drenched for the past two weeks. It could have been the cause of the rock face’s loosening. Furthermore, the fall occurred at 11:00 a.m. local time (14:00 GMT) after days of rain in Minas Gerais, which too can leave the cliffs more vulnerable to collapse, according to local fire officials.
Tourists around also somehow realized the coming of an unfortunate event. As in a video of the accident, a woman can be heard saying, “That piece will fall out.” Before the cliff crumbles onto the boats, another warns, “Get out of there.”
The situation was also noted by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who stated that the Navy has dispatched a relief force team to assist with the search and rescue efforts. Other navy officials too took the notice of the incident and conducted a search operation to rescue dozens of people.
About Minas Gerais, Brazil
Minas Gerais is a state in Brazil’s southeast. It is the country’s second-most populous, third-largest in terms of GDP, and fourth-largest in terms of area. Belo Horizonte, the state’s capital and largest city, is a significant urban and financial center in Latin America and Brazil’s sixth-largest municipality.
Furthermore, Minas Gerais, the country’s leading producer of coffee and milk, is noted for its architectural and colonial art heritage in historic cities. The hydro mineral springs of Caxambu, Lambari, So Lourenço, Poços de Caldas, So Thomé das Letras, Monte Verde, and the national parks of Caparaó and Canastra are popular tourist destinations in the south.
Lastly, Mountains, valleys, and vast swaths of rich land characterize the state’s landscape. Caves and waterfalls can be found in the Serra do Cipó, Sete Lagoas, Cordisburgo, and Lagoa Santa. There are some of Brazil’s most famous caverns there.